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A HISTORY 



o/ 



Southern Missouri and 
Northern ArKansas 



Being an Account of tKe Early Settlements, 

the Civil War, the Ku-Klux, and 

Times of Peace. 



By William MonKs 

West Plains, Mo. 



West Plairvs Journal Co. 

^A^est Plains, Mo. 

1<307 






ILIBfWRY of CONGRESS? 
Two Coole? Received 
. JU^ 16 I HO/' i 

Copynjeht Entry '' 

^j^^x J~// 907 

CUSS CL XXc, No. 

/ 7/(s> I I 
COPY b. 



Copyrie'lr\t 1<=)0 7 

fc>y 

Williarri MonKs 



Introduction. 

Now the author was born in the state of Alabama, in 
Jackson county, on the north side of the Tennessee River, 
near Huntsville. He was the son of James Monks and 
Nanc}^ Monks. The father of James Monks came over 
from Ireland during the Revolutionary War and served in 
that war until the independence of the United States was 
acknowledged. Afterwards he married a lady of English 
descent and settled down in the State of South Carolina. 
His father died when he was but an infant. His mother 
removed to the state of Tennessee, being left with five chil- 
dren, James being the youngest. Growing up to manhood 
in that state, he removed to the north part of the state of 
Alabama and there married Nancy Graham, who was a 
daughter of Jesse Graham. They were originall)^ from the 
state of Virginia. 

James Monks enlisted in the United States Army and 
served in the Indian war that was known as the Seminole 
war, in the state of Florida, x^fter his term of service had 
expired he returned home and sold his farm and had a flat- 
boat built and placed in the Tennessee River near Gunters 
Landing, with the intention of moving to the state of Flor- 
ida. Taking his brother-in-law, a Mr. Phillips, on the 
boat with him, they went down the river b}' Decatur, were 
piloted through the Mussell Shoals, and at the foot of the 
shoals at what is known as Tuscumbia, the writer remem- 
bers seeing a part of the Cherokee Indians that were being 
remove'^ from the state of Alabama to their present location. 



The writer can remember seeing the Cherokee Indians be- 
fore they were removed from the state of Alabama. 

On reaching Southern Illinois, eight miles from Padu- 
cah, my father landed his boat and looked over the country 
and came to the conclusion that that country was good 
enough, and located in what was then Pope County. After- 
wards they cropped a piece off of Pope and a piece off of 
Johnson, and created anew county and named it Massack, 
after the old government fort, and located the county seat, 
named Metropolis. My father resided nine years in that 
state, then sold out and started to move to the state of 
Texas. On arriving in Fulton county. Arkansas, he con- 
'cluded to locate in that county. 

Soon after his arrival, in the latter part of June or July, 
1844, the writer was employed to carry the United States 
mail from vSalem, the county seat of Fulton County, to 
Rockbridge, then the county seat of Ozark county, Mis- 
souri. My father and mother taught me to be loyal to my 
government from my earliest remembrance, and I don't 
think that two persons more honest than they ever lived. 
They taught me from my earliest recollection to be honest 
and upright, and I have tried, and believe I have lived up 
to their teaching to the very letter ; and no man or woman 
before the war, during the war, nor since the war, can say 
anything else and tell the truth. Religiously, my father 
and mother were Baptists, and I believe that they were 
Christians. 



EARLY SETTLEMENTS. 



In the year 1844 father sold out and in May started 
to move to the state of Texas; crossed the Mississippi 
river at Green's old ferry, came by the way of Jackson, 
Missouri, and traveled the old military road made by the 
government troops in removing the Cherokee Indians from 
the state of Alabama to their present location — only road 
leading west — and in July of the same year (learning that it 
was very dangerous for a man to take his family into the state 
of Texas on account of the Indians), he concluded to locate 
in Fulton county, Arkansas, purchased an improvement 
and located on what is known as Bennett's river, about 25 
miles from where West Plains is now located. The fam- 
ily at that time consisted of six persons, to-wit: father, 
mother and four sons, the author then being in his fifteenth 
year; father, being a farmer by occupation, went to work 
on the farm. The country at that time was very sparsely 
settled. The settlements were confined to the creeks and 
rivers, where were found plenty of water and springs. No 
place at that time was thought worth settling unless it had 
a spring upon it. The vegetation was luxuriant, the broom 
sedge and blue stem growing as high as a man's head — and 
he upon an ordinary horse. The table lands, which were 
thought at that time to be worthless, had very little timber 
growing on them, but were not prairie. There were what 
were known as post oak runners and other brush growing 
on the table lands, but the grass turf was very heavy and 
in the spring of the year the grass would soon cover the 
sprouts and the stranger would have taken all of the table 



8 hi:, 'JOKY OF Hoi:'j'mu<N missotki 

l;iii<l',, (•;<( cpt vvIk-ic it w;is ilitcisp't scd witli yjox'i'S, to li;ivc 
Ixfii pr;iiric. Tlic ( omilry settled ii]) some ol flic settle 
iiieiif', hem;'. \': mile', .-ipriit yet tlie e;ii!y si-t.tk;rs l.Iiou;.'.lil 
not iiiii;'_ ol iiei;'lil,or in;- inid ;i',Jst iii}'. e;ieli other ;is neij^li 
hor, for the rh'.l.'uii e ol IS miles. A\ th;il time i'liltoii 
( oiiDt y ( oiit;iiiie(i ;ill of I lie |)ie,eiit ter ) itoi y tlint now ill 
I hi(hs liiixtei, l<';il!o)i ;in(| ;i p;iil ol Sh;ii p < oiiiitie', ; :in(l 
hilt ;i ■,\\<)]\ time pM vioiis lo the oi ;',;iiii/,;ilioii ol JMilton, ;ill 
ol t he t( I Mtoi y t h;it now enihi ;i( cs iMiltoii, J*axlcr ami SIi!ir|) ; 
l/;ii'l hiloiijMfl lo I ndepen'leiiee count y riiul i'rilcsvillc was 
the (onnty seal. My fathci loi.-ilcd :ihoiit live miles fr<Hii 
the ",t;ite line. 

O/aik 'onnty, in Missoiiii, joined I'lilton ( onnty on 
th«* slat<- line ;ind .dl ol the teiiilojy that now ' ompiises 
0/;iil<, l)oii;d;r, and the west hall ol llow( II, h(don;',ed to 
O/.ai k ( omit y and I\o( 1: hi idj'.e , its eonnt y s(sat , hi in;', lo( ated 
on I'.iyan's I'oikol the Noitli l'"()ik, ahoiil "iO miles from 
the state line. ()ie)'<)ii eoiiiity (onlained ;dl the teiiitoiy 
that now ' oiii|ii ises < >i ej'.on , Shannon, and t he east end ol 
flowed; and a slioil time jnevions all ol the territory tliat 
now I ompiises Kiphy, ()ie;'r)ii, Criitei and Shannon he 
loii^'.<-d to Kipley (oiiiily; ;iiid all ol the teiiitoiy that now 
(•om|)iises 'I'cxas, f)enl, Wii;',lit and ("lawloid eoiinties he 
loiij'fd to Ciawhdd (onnty. 'f'he lonntiy at that time 
ahonmled in million, ol deei , Inikeys, heais, wolves and 
small animals I leinemhei as my lathei was movinj.', west 

and altel he li;id e| osseil White Walel ||e;il wll.'lt WUS k MOW II 

as f'.nlliii^'.crs old mill, that wi- eoiiM ■,(•(• the deer fccdinj.^ 
on the 111 lis in K^t':'! liei ds I ike eatt le , and wild turkeys WCre 
in ahiindaiK (s Wild meat was so plentiful lliat Die SCtllflS 
cllielly silhsisted upon the llesh ol wild miilllflls Ulltil tlicy 
could ji;r<)wsoiiie lame slock, Hiuhasho^s and calths 'iMiis 
coiinfiy tlifii was almost a "land ol honey." I'.ees ahoiind- 
cd in )'.ical niimhei and men liiinlcd liiin for the i)rofit 



AXD NORTHERN ARKANSAS 9 

they derived from the beeswax. There was no sueh thiiij; 
known as a bee tiuHh. 

Hoiieydew tell in snch ijnantities as to comjiletely kill 
the tops of the grass where it was open. 1 have known 
youiii; turkeys, after they wore hui^e enoni;h for use, to 
have their win.qs so .unninied w'ith honeydew that they 
eonld not tly ont of the way of a dog — have known lots of 
them to be canght with dogs when thej' wanted to nse 
them. There was no (inestion in regard to there being 
honey when yon ent a bee tree, if the hollow atul spaee in 
the tree were snllieicnt and the bees hail had time to hll it. 
1 have known bee trees being ent that hail S ami 10 feet of 
solid eomb that was eantlied and grained. When my father 
first loeateil, beeswax, ]>eltry and fnr skins almost consti- 
tuted the cnrrency of the conntry. I remember that a slmrt 
time after my father located, a gentleman came to my fath- 
er's house and wanted to bny a horse and offered to pay 
him in beeswax and ]H'ltry, ami as I had been accnstometl 
to iniper currency in the state of Illinois, I asked my father 
what kind of money peltry was. He laughed and remarkeil, 
"Well son. it is not mone>' at all: it is ileer skins." A 
man tlu)ught nothing of buying a horse or a yoke of oxen, 
or to make any other common debt on the promise of ilis- 
cliarging the same in beeswax and ]-)cltry in one month's 
time. 

The innnigration cotisisted mostly of farmers and 
mechanics. Among the mechanics were coopers who would 
make large hogsheads for the purpose of holding the honey 
after it was separated from the beeswax, and a man then had 
his choice to to use either candied honey or fresh honey. I 
knew whole hogsheads that were full of candied honey. 
When men w^oiild make a contract to deliver any amount or 
number of pounds of beeswax, and within a given time, 
especially in the fall of the year, thej' would either take a 



10 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

yoke of cattle or two horses and a wagon and with their 
guns and camp equipage go out from the settlements into 
what was then termed the ' 'wilderness, "and burn bee comb. 
In a short time the bees would be working so strong to the 
bait that they could scarcely course them. In the morning 
they would hunt deer, take off pelts until the deer would 
lie down, then they would hunt bees and mark the trees 
until the deer would get up to feed in the afternoon, when 
they would again resume their hunt for deer. After they 
had found a sufhcient number of bee trees and marked 
them, the morning following they would go out and kill 
nothing but large deer ;caseskin them until they had a suffi- 
cient number of hides to contain the honey that they expect- 
ed to take from the trees, take the hides to the camp, tie a 
knot in the fore legs of the hide, take dressed buckskin and 
a big awl, roll the hide of the neck in about three folds, 
run two rows of stitches, draw it tight, then go to their 
wagons with ridgepole and hooks already prepared, knot 
the hind legs of the skins, hang them over the hooks, take 
their tub, a knife and spoon, proceed to the trees, stop their 
team a sufficient distance from the tree to prevent the bees 
from stinging the animals, cut the tree, take out the hon- 
ey, place it in the tub, and when the tub was filled carry it 
to the wagon where the hides were prepared, empty their 
tubs into the deer skins, return again to another tree and 
continue cutting uutil the hides were all filled with honey ; 
then they would return home, take the hides from the hooks 
on the ridge pole on the wagon, hang them on hooks prepar- 
ed for the purpose in the smokehouse and then the men's 
work was done. 

The labor of the women then commenced. They would 
proceed to separate the honey from the beeswax, pour- 
ing the honey into hogsheads, kegs or barrels prepared for 
it, and running the beeswax into cakes ready for the mar- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 11 

ket, while the men were stretching and dr3'ing the deer- 
skins. As soon as the deerskins were dried and the honey 
was separated from the beeswax, they were ready for the 
market and took their place as currency, while the flesh of 
the deer, sometimes, when bread was scarce, took the place 
of both bread and meat, with a change, whenever the appe- 
tite called for it, to turkey and other wild game. 

At night they would hunt for fur animals, such as rac- 
coon, fox and mink, and stretch their hides; a first-class 
raccoon hide would sell for 40 to 50 cents; fox, 25 and 30 
cents; mink, from 65 to 75c. I have often known the peo- 
ple to pay their taxes, when the collector came around, 
with fur skins, such as raccoon and fox. The collector 
would take the hides right at the house and give them a 
clear receipt for their taxes, both state and count}'. I have 
seen collectors leading a horse for the purpose of carry- 
ing his fur skins. I have seen the horse completely cov- 
ered with fur skins, so you could see no part of him but 
his head and his hoofs and tail — one could not have told 
there was a horse beneath the load unless he had known it. 

The people then had many advantages that they are de- 
prived of now, in the way of wild meat, abundance of hon- 
ey and fine range. A man could raise all the stock in the 
way of horses and cattle that he could possibly look after; 
the only expense was salting and caring for them — didn't 
have to feed, winter nor summer, except the horses in use 
and the cows used for milking purposes. While, on the 
otherhand, they labored under a great many disadvantages, 
in the way of schools and churches. During the residence 
of my father in the state of Illinois, we had a very good 
common school system, and we had three months of school 
every fall. My father being a farmer, sent me only the 
three months" term in the fall. I had acquired a limited 
education before his removal to Arkansas, yet he was in- 



12 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

terested in giving his children an education. At that time 
there were no free schools, onlj^ subscription schools; teach- 
ers generally were incompetent and emplo3^ed through fa- 
voritism, and not upon their qualifications to teach. In a 
year or two after my father located, the settlement got to- 
gether and located a school -house site, took their teams, 
hauled round logs, built them into walls, made a dirt floor, 
cut out a large window in the side, split a tree and made a 
writing desk, split small trees, hewed them and made 
benches for seats, cut a hole in one end of the house, erect- 
ed a wooden chimney, what was then known as a stick and 
clay chimney, chinked and daubed the cracks, made a 
clapboard roof, hung the door with v/ooden hinges, then 
the house was considered read}^ for the school and had the 
name of teaching a three-months' subscription school; and 
very often half of the pupils were better scholars than the 
teachers. All they gained in their education was by atten- 
tion to study. As the country improved in population, the 
people improved in the erection of school -houses and 
church-houses and constructed, in place of the round log 
school -house and dirt floor, hewed log school -houses with 
puncheon floors, stick and clay chimnej^s. 

Those pioneer settlers took a great interest in each 
other's welfare, and the different settlements met together 
from a distance of 15 to 40 miles and adopted rules and 
customs binding each other to aid and assist in helping any 
person who met with any misfortune in the wa}^ of sickness, 
death or other causes that might occur, and I must say 
that there was more charity and real religion practiced 
among those pioneer settlers, although many of them were 
looked upon as being crude and unlettered. There was a 
great deal of sickness along the streams, especially chills 
and fever. Immigrants came in, generally in sufficient 
numbers to form a settlement; and I have known them, 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 13 

very often, after they had located and opened out 10 to 15 
acres and ptit it in cultivation and broke the ground and 
planted their corn, for the whole family to be taken down 
at one time with chills and fever, not able even to help 
each other or administer to their wants. As soon as the 
information reached the other settlements for a distance of 
15 miles or more, the different settlements would set a day 
to meet at the place with their horses, plows, hoes, wagons, 
etc. ; also provisions, such as bread -stuff and salt. On 
meeting, they would ascertain the condition of the family 
or families and learn what they needed in the way of pro- 
vision, medicine, nursing, etc. ; thej^ would then and there 
agree that the different settlements should divide up the 
time, set the day for each one to furnish waiters to wait 
upon them in their sickness, such medicine as they need- 
ed, provisions and everything that was necessary to render 
comfort, and in the morning before breakfast they would 
go out and kill a deer and as many turkeys as they needed, 
dress them, prepare them for the cook, who had been 
brought with them, go into the field after breakfast, plow 
and hoe the corn, clean out the garden, leave the families in 
charge of nurses and return again to their respective set- 
tlements. Those families, as soon as they were well, not 
being acquainted with the customs and rules, would meet 
them and inquire as to what amount they owed them for 
what they had done for them during their sickness. They 
would be readily informed, ''Nothing. You are not ac- 
quainted with our rules and customs. Now, we have obli- 
gated and pledged ourselves together not to let any sick or 
other disabled person suffer for the want of necessary at- 
tention, and the only thing we require of you is, if any 
other person should move into the country and locate, and 
should be taken down and confined through sickness or 
any other cause, that you help in furnishing such aid and 



14 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

necessaries as they may need until they are able to again 
take care of themselves." Now, I have just remarked that 
there was more real charity and religion practiced among 
pioneers than there is in the present day. The people then 
all appeared to be interested in bettering the condition of 
society. 

As soon as it was possible, the different settlements 
erected church -houses built of hewed timber, floored with 
puncheons, hewed seats, size of house generally from 18 by 
20 to 22 by 25 feet, chinked and daubed. The churches or 
denominations then were Baptists and Methodists. There 
didn't appear to be any antagonism or hatred existing be- 
tween the denominations ; the doors were thrown wide open 
for any minister that might travel through and they all 
turned out, and you heard nothing said then in regard to 
"my church" or "your church," They appeared to rec- 
ognize the fact that it was the Lord's church and that they 
were the Lord's people. In going to church, sometimes 
from 1 to 10 miles, they would see flocks of turkeys and 
herds of wild deer, both going and coming. As soon as 
the crops were laid by, they would agree among the differ- 
ent settlements as to where a campmeeting should be held; 
they would then erect camps or huts, make boards to 
cover them, erect an arbor, fill the center of it with straw, 
and to the distance of 25 to 35 miles they would all turn 
out, irrespective of denomination, and all appeared to enjoy 
themselves, and the love of Christ appeared to dwell in each 
heart, and they appeared to be proud of the privilege of 
meeting each other and worshiping together. If any 
member belonging to either of the denominations defrauded, 
or in any way wronged his brother, he was at once waited 
upon and requested to make reparation to his brother and 
acknowledge to his brother and to the church, or he was 
withdrawn from or turned out of the church. The immi- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 15 

gration was chiefly from the Middle States, some from the 
Southern States and very few from the Northeastern States. 
They were frugal, energetic, honest, intelligent and indus- 
trious. As the country increased in population, the facili- 
ties of both schools and churches improved. 

The customs and habits were entirely different from 
those existing now ; the wearing apparel was entirely home- 
made; they would raise their cotton, pick it out with their 
fingers or a hand gin, women would spin their warp, spin 
their filling, get their different colors from different barks 
for men's wear; the women used indigo and copperas for 
the main colors in manufacturing the cloth for dresses, 
wound their stripes on a stick and then wove it into cloth; 
you could scarcely visit a house but what you would see a 
loom, big spinning-wheel and little wheel; sometimes you 
would see three or four wheels at one house. They made 
both their every • day and Sunday- wear ; the women appeared 
to take great pride in seeing who could weave the nicest 
piece of cloth, make it into a dress, make cloth and make it 
into what was known as Virginia bonnets, and the men 
tanned their own leather, made shoes for the whole famil}-. 
When the women were dressed completely in their home- 
spun they appeared to enjoy themselves, in church, in com- 
pany or any other gathering, and felt just as independent 
and proud as the king upon his throne; they appeared to 
meet each other and greet each other and all appeared to 
realize the fact that they were human and they had but one 
superior and that was God. The women spun the warp, 
spun the wool, wove it into cloth, procured the different 
barks from the woods and dyed it, the general color being 
brown, made it with their own hands into coats, pants, un- 
dershirts ; made overshirts out of homespun cotton and the 
whole suit was home-made, and very often a cap, made 
either of the raccoon or a fox, was worn on the head. 



16 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

When men met each other at an}^ public gathering they 
appeared to be proud of meeting each other ; appeared to 
realize the fact that they were all American citizens and 
human, bound together by the ties of love and affection, and 
the highest ambition appeared to be to make each other 
happ3^ and help one another in time of need. 

I don't believe there was as much dissipation by par- 
taking of intoxicants, or other wickedness, as exists to-da3' 
among the same number of persons. It is true that then 
any man who was able to purchase a little still and had a 
spring could erect his own still house and make his own 
whiskey without paying an\' tax or duty upon the same, and 
anyone of his neighbors who wanted a gallon of whiskey 
could carr}' a bushel of corn to the still -house and get a 
gallon of whiskey in exchange for it. And if men became 
drunk on the whiskey it did not appear to make them wild 
and crazy as the whiske}^ of to-day does. 

Men then, as well as now, would have disagreements 
and fall out and fight, but the custom that prevailed among 
that class would not tolerate nor allow a man to use weap- 
ons, and if two men had a disagreement, one of them being 
a large, stout man physically, the other being a small man, 
not equal in strength — if they were together in a public 
place and the large one would challenge the weaker to fight 
him, before he could hardly open his mouth, some man 
present v/ho considered himself to be his equal in physical 
strength, would just saj- to him "now then, if 3^ou want to 
fight, that man is not your equal, but I am; get your second 
and walk out and I will do the fighting for this other man." 
I have, on different occasions, seen the large man who was 
challenging the weaker for a fight reply to the challenge and 
say, "My friend, I have nothing against you; this other 
man hasn't treated me right," or set out some other reason 
that he ought to whip him; the man in reply would sa3% "l 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 17 

don't want to hear another word from you in regard to 
wanting to fight this other man, and if I do yorr have got 
me to fight." Very often I have seen the man shut his 
mouth and turn away and say nothing more. On the 
other hand, I have heard a man say to another, "If you 
want to fight, I am your man; the other man is unable to 
fight you," and in an instant the other would reply. 
"Well, sir, I am your man; just as leave fight you as 
anybody else." They would select their seconds, take a 
drink of whiskey together, enter into an agreement that 
whenever the seconds said either one was whipped, that 
they were to abide by it, unless they found out before their 
seconds did that they were whipped, and if so, they would 
manifest it by holloing "enough," when the other person 
was to stop at once and inflict no more injury. I have oft- 
en seen them fight until they were both as bloody as butch- 
ers and in the end the seconds would have to hollo for one 
or the other. As soon as the}' were separated they would 
go to the same pool or place where there was water and 
wash themselves, and walk arm-in-arm, laughing and talk- 
ing and drinking together and remark, "We are now fast 
friends and we have settled the matter as to which was the 
best man." And if a man would produce a weapon on 
either side his own friends would turn against him and he 
would be forced to put it up at once. Men then appeared 
to be governed- by that higher inspiration, that a man 
should not use anj'thing that would permanently disable or 
take the life of his fellow-man; but if one man became 
presiuant with fight or desire to maim his fellow -man, in 
order that he should not be disappointed, some man would 
readily volunteer, who believed that he was his equal 
physically, and deliver him of all his fighting propensities. 



18 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Dow Bryant and a Gallon of Whisky 

I will here relate an instance that I well remember. A 
man by the name of Bridges lived just above where Bak- 
ersSeld is now located, owned a little mill at the same place 
where tliey still continue the work of the mill just above 
Bakersfield. The mill ground from twelve to fifteen bush- 
els per daj^ ; most of us carried our sacks on horseback, 
and ground b}' turns. Bridges had employed a man by the 
name of Math Shipnian to run the mill. He was a small 
man weighing only about 135 pounds, and there was a 
man by the name of Dow Bryant, lately from the state of 
Tennessee, quite a large man, weighing 225 pounds, who 
delighted in fighing under the old style, and claimed that 
he had whipped two of the best men in Tennessee at the 
same time. Shipman had made some statement that re- 
flected upon Bryant; so Br^-ant procured a gallon of whis- 
key, and, talking two men with him, went from Bennett's 
river over to the mill and informed Shipman of what he 
had heard he had said in regard to him, and said to Ship- 
man that if he had said it and didn't take it back, he would 
have to whip him, and the onlj^ thing he hated about it 
would be the whipping of as little a man as he was. Ship- 
man replied that he need not take that matter into consid- 
eration, and that his father had alwa3\s taught him that if 
he told anything and it was the truth, not to take it back 
under any consideration, and that what he had said was 
true; and as to his whipping him, his father had always 
taught him never to admit anything until he knew it was 
true; and '"I have mj^ doubts about 3'ou being able to whip 
me; but if you will get your second ready, as soon as the 
corn that is in the hopper is ground out and I refill the 
hopper I will get my second and we will go out into the 
mill 3^ard so you can test it." The}' accordingly got their 
seconds, went into the mill 3'ard, formed a ring, and when 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 19 

the word was given by the seconds, they went together. 
Shipman bit every finger on the right hand and three fin- 
gers on the left hand to the bone; and Bryant's friends, 
seeing he was going to be whipped, proposed parting them. 
Bryant returned home, and when his neighbors would 
meet him with his fingers all bound up, they would say, 
"Hello there! What's the matter?" His reply would be, 
"I went over into the wilderness and got hold of a wild- 
cat, and it like to have eaten me up before I could get 
loose from it." He would further say that Shipman 
was all mouth, and that he could not put his hands any- 
where about his head unless he got them in his mouth. 

I will give another instance touching the same man 
(Bryant:). He went over to Salem during circuit court. 
The sheriff of the county was a man by the name of Dick 
Benton, quite a small man, and the constable of the town- 
ship was named Moore and a very small man. Bryant was 
drinking some, and wanted to fight as usual, and became 
noisy. The judge ordered the constable to arrest him ; 
but when Bryant saw the constable coming, he backed be- 
hind an old building, and ordered the constable not to 
rush upon him. When the constable came in reach, he 
knocked him down, came walking around, and remarked 
that no tickey ofhcer could arrest him. The judge then 
ordered the sheriff to arrest him. When the sheriff came 
within reach, he knocked him down, came walking back, 
and remarked, "I thought they understood me when I told 
them that a tickey set of officers could not arrest me." 
During the time the father-in-law of the sheriff had come 

out. Bryant walked up to him, and with a d said: 

"I want to know what you are doing here." Without any 
more words being passed, the sheriff's father-in-law knock- 
ed Bryant down, jumped onto him, but he holloed, and 
the}' took him off Bryant straightened himself up right 



20 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

into his face again and remarked, "l have told a lie, I am 
not whipped." Without any more words he knocked him 
down again and gave him a considerable pelting. Bryant 
holloel again, and after they had taken him off, he 
straightened np and walked off about ten steps distant, 
turned around, and remarked, "I have told a lie, I am not 
whipped ; but I am not going to say it within reach of that 
old man any more." On the same day some m^n knocked 
him down, taking a common clapboard, hit him three licks 
while he was running on all fours, then got a piece of 
chalk and wrote on it, "Dow's board," and nailed it up 
on the corner of the square. 

The drinking class for years used all manner of 
language and obscenity in the streets, and even in the 
hearing of the court. There was a man by the name of 
Neeley who became a candidate for circuit judge, and one 
of the main reasons he urged for his election was that, if 
elected, he w^ould punish all offenders of the public peace, 
and force all persons to respect the court, and he would 
discharge the duties with some dignity and respect for 
himself and the people. Shortly after he was elected and 
during his first court, a man by the name of Smith, who 
lived just north of Salem on the South Fork, and who had 
worked for his election, came into the court room after the 
court was in session, walked around to the judge, took 
him by the hand and remarked, "Judge, I w^ant to con- 
gratulate 5^ou on your success, and I hope things will 
change." The judge turned to the clerk and remarked, 
"Mr. Clerk, assess a fine of five dollars against Mr. 
Smith." Smith soon retired from the court room and de- 
clared that Neeley was a tyrant, and that if he had his vote 
back he would not support him. In the afternoon the 
judge ordered the sheriff to bring Mr. Smith into the court 
room and said to him, "Mr vSmith, you were a warm 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 21 

friend of mine in my canvass, worked for m}' election, and 
no doubt contributed much to my success. Now I don't 
want to disappoint you in an\' promises that I made during 
the canvass, but after court is convened and the judge on 
the bench, it is contempt in an}- gentleman to come up and 
take him by the hand and congratulate him on his success; 
and now 1 hope that you, with all others of my frien Is, and 
those who are not, will sui:)port and protect me in enforc- 
ing the dignit}' of the court." Mr. Smith at once became 
pacified, and said that the judge was right. 

We remember another instance that occurred during 
the same court There was a young lawyer, who came 
into court, wearing a \'ery fine pair of boots, and, standing 
on his feet, he would occasionally raise onto his toes, and 
you could hear his boots creak all over the court room. 
The judge turned to him and remarked, "Mr., what did 
those boots cost you?" The lawyer quickly replied, "Ten 
dollars, sir." The judge remarked to him, "I think you 
got the boots too cheap. I think the}^ ought to be worth 
twenty dollars. Mr. Clerk, assess a fine of ten dollars 
against this man." 

On the next day a man by the name of Cage Hogan, a 
man who was widel}' known, in company with others, got 
on the public square, near the saloon, and began to curse 
and swear, and use all manner of obscenity. The judge 
ordered the sheriff to go down and see who was making 
the disturbance. The sheriff went out to the place and 
stated to the crowd that the judge had ordered him to see 
who was creating that disturbance, and to arrest the party. 
Hogan remarked, with an oath, "You go back and tell the 
old judge that it is Cage Hogan, and that I suppose he has 
heard of me before, and I don't allow sheriffs to arrest me 
until I get ready." The sheriff came back and reported to 
the court, and the judge made au order for him to proceed 



22 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

at once and arrest Mr. Hogan and all others that he might 
find acting in a boistersous manner, and if necessary to 
take the power of the county, and if he didn't immediate- 
ly bring him into the court room he would assess a fine 
against him of $100. The sheriff returned and informed 
Mr. Hogan of what the court had said, and that he would 
be bound to arrest him and take him by force if he didn't 
go without it. Hogan remarked that if it would be any 
pleasure and consolation to the old tyrant he was the man 
who could go into the court room. When he came into 
the court room, the sheriff said, "Here is Mr. Hogan." 
Mr. Hogan remarked, with an oath, "I am here, jlidge, 
and I would like to know what you want." The judge re- 
plied that there were some parties creating a disturbance in 
the hearing of the court and that he had ordered them ar- 
rested and brought in. "Do you know who the parties 
are?" Hogan, with an oath, replied, "I am the man; 
and, judge, I want you to understand that I am a horse, 
and if you hain't become acquainted with old Cage Ho- 
gan, you will." The judge remarked to him that they had 
a stable and that was the place for horses, and that he 
would assess a fine of $50 against him, and ordered the 
sheriff to take him to jail until it was paid. Hogan, re- 
marking, "I always carry the money to pay my way, and 
you need not put yourself to an}- trouble to have the sher- 
iff carry me to jail," pulled out his pocket book, took out 
$50, and said, with an oath, "Here is the money, and I 
want you to understand that I am nO jail bird, and you 
can't stick me in your old jail." The judge then said, 
"Mr. Hogan seems to have plent}^ of monej^; Mr. Clerk 
assess another $50 fine against him." At that Hogan ap- 
peared to hesitate and reflect, and, pulling out a quart bot- 
tle of whiskey from his pocket, started to approach the 
judge, who was on the bench, sajnng with an oath, "Here^ 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 23 

judge, lets drink together and be friends and stop this 
foolishness." The jndge turned to the clerk and said: 
"Mr. Clerk, assess another fine of $50 against him," and 
ordered the sheriff to take him forthwith to jail and keep 
him there until further orders, for he considered him an 
unlawful horse, and he did not think it safe for society 
for him to run at large. The sheriff, with a consider- 
able posse, carried him to the jail, and with considerable 
trouble put him in and shut him up. He remained in jail 
two days, and at the evening session of the stcond day the 
sheriff came into court and said that Mr. Hogan was very 
desirous of seeing the court. The court then ordered him 
brought in. On his being lircught in, the court asked him 
if he still thought he was a horse. Hogan replied, "No, 
sir; I am not anything now but Cage Hogan." The judge 
said: "As 3'ou have now arrived at the conclusion that you 
are human and not animal, are you willing to respect the 
laws of your land and the dignitj^ of this court?" Hogan 
replied: "l am, judge, w-ith all my heart." The judge 
then said to him, "What about that money of yours ; are 
5'ou alile to pa}' the $150 fine?" Hogan said, "No. judge, 
I don't feel like I could pa}^ $150 this evening; I don't 
feel as rich and as brave as I did when you first brought 
me into court, and I want you to be as lenient with me as 
possible." The court said, "Mr. Hogan, if you will prom- 
ise me that 3'OU will neitlier disturb the dignit_v of this 
court nor incite others to do so, I will remit all of your 
fine except $50." Mr. Hogan then and there paid the $50 
fine and was released. From that time up to the end of 
his term there never w^as any disturbance of any nature in 
the hearing of the court, and if you went into the court 
room everything w'as so quiet that you could almost hear a 
pin drop. 



24 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

The Tutt and Evert War. 

My memory is that it was in the year 1846 that an in- 
cident occurred in Marion county that I will now relate. 
It was known as the Tutt and Evert war. They were once 
fast friends. They met in Yellville, the county seat, and 
while there one of the Everts purchased a set of silver 
spoons at the store of one of the Tutts. Afterwards a mis- 
understanding grew up between them as to the payment 
for the spoons, which led them into a fight. Afterwards, 
which was often, when they would meet in Yellville, they 
w^ould hardly ever get awaj' without some fighting taking 
place between the parties. There was a large gathering 
and a public demonstration to take place within a few 
weeks. The Tutts declared, backed by the Kings, that if 
the Everts came into town that day they would kill them 
outright. Both parties came in earl}' in the da}', heavily 
armed. After coming under the influence of intoxicants to 
some extent. Evert went into the public square and stated 
what he had heard from the Tutts, and said that if they, 
the Tutts and Kings, were ready for the conflic t, there 
never was a better time than then, and that they, the Ev- 
erts, were fully ready. Both parties, in short range, opened 
fire. One of the Kings shot Simm Evert during the fight, 
supposed to be through the heart. One of the Kings, just 
previous to the shooting of Evert, had been shot through 
the hips and so disabled that he could not stand upon his 
feet. After Simm Evert had received the wound, he 
turned around, and, within a few steps of the wounded 
King, picked up a large stone, raised it in both hands, 
and, stepping up to King, came down on King's head with 
the stone with all the force possible, completely crushing 
King's head. Then, turning around and walking about 
three steps, he remarked, "l am a dead man," and fell to 
the ground and expired within a few minutes. When the 



AND NORTHIiKN ARKANSAS 25 

smoke cleared away and the fightinj^ ceased, an examina- 
tion showed that there were eight or ten left dead on the 
ground. The stoutest men afterwards went to the stone, 
but there wasn't one of them that could raise it from the 
ground. The surviving Kings made arrangements and at- 
tempted to leave the country. At that time the sheriff of 
the county was a man by the name of Moone3^ A writ 
was placed in his hands and he arrested them. Shortly af- 
ter the arrest, the Everts and their friends came upon the 
sheriff and his posse and demanded the prisoners. The 
sheriff gave them up, and they were all shot. The sheriff 
then appealed to the governor for aid; he sent the militia, 
who aided the sheriff in the arrest of the Everts, a man b}' 
the name of Stratton, and some others of their friends. 
The governor ordered them to be taken to Eawrence coun- 
t}' and placed in the Lawrence county jail at Smithville, 
the county seat of that count}-. I saw the militia in charge 
of the prisoners pass my father's house on their way to 
Smithville. 

In about ten days after they were put in prison, late 
one evening, strange men commenced dropping into the 
towaa, who were unknown to the citizens, until they reach- 
ed to about the number of sixty -five. Somewhere near 
midnight they paraded the streets, and the jail being a log 
jail, they prepared levers and pried it up and let the pris- 
oners all out, and they all left together, Evert, Stratton, 
and their friends proceeding directly to Texas. After their 
families had reached them and everything had quieted 
down, they sent in and notified Hamp Tutt, whom they 
charged with being the inciter and leader in bringing on 
the original trouble, that if he would "hull out" and leave 
the state they would not kill him. Tutt was a man of con- 
siderable wealth and declared he would not leave the state. 
He at once hired a young doctor, who claimed to be a very 



26 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

brave man, to act as his body guard, and kept himself very 
close to the town for about the space of two years. One 
day, however, he declared that he was going to take a ride 
out on the main public road for his health. He, in com- 
pan\^ with the young doctor, then rode oitt about one mile. 
On returning, not more than a quarter of a mile from the 
town, after thej- had passed the place where they were 
concealed, they, (the Everts) discharged a volley. Two 
balls entered tlie back of Tu':t, and his horse made but a 
few leaps when he fell to the ground. The young doctor 
ran for dear life, reached the town, and gave the alarm. 
Parties immediately went out to the place, but found that 
Tutt was dead. On examining the place where the par- 
ties had lain in ambush, the}' found that the}' had lain 
there for months watching for the opportunit}'. So ended 
the Tutt and Evert war. 

Indians Chase a Sheriff Ten IVIiles. 

Now the author will relate another incident that oc- 
curred in Marion county, Arkansas, in the early settling of 
this country. There was a large relation of the Coker 
family who lived in that county. One of the Cokers raised 
two families, one bj^ a white woman and the other by an 
Indian woman. The Indian family, after they had grown 
up and become men, resided a part of the time in the Na- 
tion, where the mother lived, and a part of the time they 
remained in Marion county where their father and other 
relatives lived. The}' were very dangerous men when 
drinking, and the whole country feared them. They had 
been in different troubles, and had killed three or four 
meUj and if the authorities attempted to arrest them, they 
defied them, and would go to the Nation and remain 
awhile. There was a deputy sheriff in the count}' by the 
name of Stinnett, who claimed to be very brave, who said 



AND NORTHP:rN ARKANSAS 27 

he would arrest them if he found their whereabouts. The 
Cokers learned what Stinnett had said, and that the war- 
rant for their arrest was in his possession, so the}^ got some 
good tow strings and vowed that whenever they met him 
they woiild arrest him and take him to Yellville and put 
him in jail. A short time afterwards they met him in the 
public road. As soon as Stinnett recognized them, 
and having heard of the threats they had made, he 
wheeled his horse and put spurs to him. The}' drew their 
revolvers and put spurs to their horses in pursuit, com- 
manding him to halt. But Stinnett spurred his horse the 
harder. They pursued him a distance of about ten miles; 
but Stinnett's horse proved to be the best, and he made 
his escape. They again returned to the Nation. 

The good people, generall3% of the county \\'ere terror- 
ized and afraid to raise their voices against them, and it 
became a question as to whether they had a man in the 
county who had the courage to attempt their arrest. They 
made it a question in the next election, to elect a man that 
would make the arrest, if such a man could be found in the 
county. There was a man living in the county by the 
name of Brown, who was a cousin of the Cokers, and he 
told the people that if they would elect him, he would ar- 
rest them or they would kill him. He was elected b}^ a 
large majority, and, after he had qualified, took charge of 
the office. The first time the Cokers came into the settle- 
ment, he summoned two men, thought to be brave, who 
pledged themselves that if it became necessary the}^ would 
die for him. He then went to the house of one of the 
Coker family where the Cokers were sta3nng, and on his 
arrival found the two Coker brothers sitting in chairs in 
the yard. He was within some thirty feet of them before 
they saw him. Their guns were sitting near them, and 
they seized them ; but before they could present them 



28 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Brown had his revolver cocked and leveled at one of their 
heads, and told him not to attempt to raise his gun or he 
would kill him. Coker turned his back to him with his 
gun on his shoulder, secretly cocked it, and leveled it upon 
Brown as near as possible without taking it from his shoul- 
der and fired, missing his aim. About the same time 
Brown discharged his revolver at Coker and made a slight 
scalp wound. The other Coker threw his gun upon Brown 
and fired, killing him instantly. The two men who were 
acting as a posse for the sheriff turned and fled, leaving 
Brown lying dead on the ground. After the shooting the 
Cokers fled to the Nation and remained there. 

The author will now relate another incident that oc- 
curred in the same county. For years the Cokers and Ho- 
gans had been intimate friends, and drank, gambled, and 
horseraced together a great deal. There came up a troub- 
le between Coker and one of his brothers-in-law, and one 
evening Coker, in company with Hogan, went to the house 
of this brother-in-law. Both had been drinking. Coker 
swore that he would ride onto the porch of his brother -in 
law, and made the attempt. His brother-in-law caught 
the horse by the bridle and warned him not to ride onto 
porch, and that if he did he would kill him. Coker drew 
his revolver, spurred his horse, but as he entered the porch 
his brother-in-law shot him dead. Coker being a cousin 
of the Indian Cokers, they charged Hogan with inducing 
him, while drinking, to go to his brother-in-law's house, 
so as to give him a chance to kill him, and that Hogan's 
life should pay the penalty. Shortly afterwards Hogan 
was traveling on an old trail that led along the bluff of 
White river. The river here made a bend in horseshoe 
shape, following the bluff all around. The Cokers learned 
that Hogan was going to pass through this gap, and they 
lay in wait for him, cutting off all avenues of escape possi- 



AND NORTHERX ARKANSAS 29 

ble SO he would b^ forced into the horseshoe for his escape. 
When he came in sight they raised the Indian warwhoop, 
and drew their revolvers. Hogan looked around and saw 
that his ]:)ursuers were in about a hundred yards of him. 
He saw his predicament, as for a quarter of a mile he con- 
fronted the bluff, and that there was only one avenue of 
escape. He went to the edge of the precipice and looked 
over. There, under the bluff, lay the deep, blue waters 
of White river, 150 feet below. Again he turned his eyes 
toward his pursuers. He knew it meant death if they 
caught him; so he made the fearful leap over the bluff, 
striking the water where it was about twenty-five feet deep. 
Hogan was a wicked man and cursed a great deal. He 
swore it didn't take him long to reach the water, but that 
he thought considerable time intervened from the time he 
struck the water until he reached the top again. He swam 
to the bank which was but a few feet distant. His pursu- 
ers came to the precipice, looked over, and said that they 
had made Hogan do something they had intended to do 
and that was, to take his own life, as they supposed no hu- 
man being could make the leap and live. After cutting 
his saddle and bridle to pieces, they turned his horse loose, 
and reported that Hogan was killeJ. Hogan traveled 
around under the bluff for about two miles, made his way 
home, wound up his Inisiness, sold his farm, and moved 
into Fulton count}', Arkansas, which ended the trouble be- 
tween them. 

The author will relate another incident that occurred 
in Marion count}', Arkanas. There was a widow residing 
in that county, who was left with a family of children, 
among them a boy about twelve years of age. Her horse 
ran away, and she sent her boy in pursuit of it. After he 
had found it and was returning home, leading the horse, 
Hogan and one of his friends met him in the road. They 



30 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

had both been drinking, and seeing the bo}^ conckided to 
have some fun out of him. Hogan, with an oath, said, 
"What are you doing with my horse?" The boy replied, 
"It is not your horse, it is mother's horse." Hogan 
sprang off his horse, and, thinking to scare the boy and 
have some fun with him, said: "Here, you know it's my 
horse; give him up." The boy pulled a barlow knife out 
of his pocket, and, opening it, said, "You attempt to come 
near me, and I will stick this knife into you." Hogan 
stepped up to him and said, "You little rascal, would you 
attempt to cut me with a knife?" The boy, without any 
further words, made a stroke at him with the knife, and 
the blade entered his body near the left breast. Hogan 
declared afterward that he jumped about ten feet high. 
He turned to his friend and remarked: "I believe our fun 
with the little bugger has caused my death, or at least a 
serious wound." He went to a physician, had the wound 
probed, and found the knife had penetrated a rib and 
reached the inside. The physician informed him that had 
it passed between the ribs it would have killed him in- 
stantly. Hogan remarked to the boy, after he stabbed 
him, "My son, you are made out of the right kind of 
stuff. I had no intention of hurting j^ou or taking your 
mother's horse from you, I merely wanted to have some 
fun ; but I see I have struck the wrong boy this time. Go 
on and take your horse to your mother." 

The author will refer to another incident that occurred 
in Howell county, Missouri. In the j^ear 1860 there was a 
man who resided in West Plains by the name of Jack Mc- 
Daniel, who was a blacksmith by trade. This same Ho- 
gan came to town, soon became iinder the influence of 
whiske3^ went down to McDaniel's shop with a horse, and 
ordered him to shoe him. McDaniel had two other horses 
in the shop at the time to be shod, and said to Hogan that 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 31 

as soon as he had shod those two horses, he would shoe 
his. Ho.2:an said, "I am in a hurr3^ and I want you to 
shoe mine now." McDaniel told him that lie could not 
shoe his horse until he had shod the other two horses. 
Hogan said, "If 3^ou don't shoe him at once, I will whip 
you." McDaniel then pulled a barlow knife out of his 
pocket, and, opening it, said: "Yes; and if you fool with 
me, I will cut 3'our throat from ear to ear." At this re- 
mark, Hogan moved right up to him and said, "Just smell 
of my neck." McDaniel struck at him with the knife, 
and the blade entered just under the ear, cutting to the 
bone all the way around into the mouth. Hogan went to a 
physician in West Plains and had the wound dressed. He 
then went to a glass, looked in, and said that he had lived 
a long time, been in many tight places, but he had never 
had such a mouth as he had now, and remarked, "My 
mouth looks as if it was spread from ear to ear." 

The people then generally gave their time to growing 
stock, especially horses and cattle, as hogs and sheep had 
to be kept close around the farms and penned of a night, es- 
pecially the pigs, on account of wolves and other wild ani- 
mals. I have known the wolves to kill 2 and 3 year old 
cattle. Farmers fed their corn chiefly to cattle, horses and 
mules They always commanded fair prices. Cattle, at the 
age of four years and upwards were driven to Jacksonport, 
Arkansas and from there shipped to New Orleans. Horses 
and mules were driven to Louisiana, Mississippi and some 
to the Southern part of Arkansas and there put upon the 
market. Prices generally" ranging from $75 to $150. All 
of our groceries were purchased in New Orleans, shipped 
to Jacksonport, from there thej^ were conveyed b}^ wagons. 
Our dry goods were mostly purchased at Iy3'nn Creek, Mis- 
souri and brought through by wagon, but in the early set- 
tling of the country they hauled dry goods all the way 



32 HISTORY OF .SOUTHERN IMISSOURI 

from St. Louis except what were brought into the country 
by peddlers. The peddlers would go to St. Louis on horse 
back with one and sometimes two led horses, buy the 
goods, pack them, place them on their horses and peddle 
all the way from St. Louis and still further west and take in 
exchange all kinds of fur skins. 

I have seen peddlers with one horse still loaded with 
goods and the other covered with fur skins, and I have 
seen them again after they had disposed of all their goods 
with all three horses completely covered with fur skins and 
sometimes so heavily loaded that the peddler would either 
be walking and leading or driving. 

Money was scarce but the people spent very little 
money, were not in debt and lived much better and easier 
than they do now. Their counties were out debt and the 
county warrants were alwaj's at par. 

When my father first located here, there were about four 
or five settlers in all of the territor}^ that now belongs to 
Howell County; there were but three men thatres'ded upon 
what is known as the middle bayou, William McCarty anvi 
his sons. Green and Willis. 

In about three years after my father settled here, Mc- 
Carties sold out and located on the bayou above Bakers - 
field. In 1844 there was a man by the name of Thomas 
Hall who resided about 10 miles southwest of West Plains, 
a man by the name of C3'rus Newberry resided about 10 
miles from where West Plains now is, and a man by the 
name of Braudwaters resided near where Moody is now lo- 
cated. 

There was not a settlement in all the territory that 
now includes Howell valley. There had been a settlement, 
by a man who was a hunter, made at what is now termed 
the town spring at West Plains who had cleared five or 
six acres, but had left it. All the valleys in Howell coun- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS .:>0 

ty were considered worthless on acconnt of there being no 
water. 

When the conntry connnenced settling", th.ere was no 
attention paid to congressional lines. As they settled on 
the streams, the}' would make conditional lines — blaze 
across the bottom until they would strike the taljle-lands ; 
and the next men who might come in and settle would 
blaze his conditional line across, and for years tliere was 
but little land entered. Men onl}^ sold their improvements, 
and there was a fixed law, or custom, that prevailed aniovig 
them — that no man should enter the land and take another 
man's improvements without paying him for them. A few 
such instances occurred to my knowledge. The man was 
at once waited upon, and informed of the rules and cus- 
toms of the country; and besides the rides and customs, it 
was not right nor honest to take a man's labor without 
paying him for it; and that it was the intention and pur- 
pose of tlie people to see that justice was done every man; 
and he was therefore notified to proceed to the late owner 
of the improvements and pay him the value of the impro\e- 
ments ; and if they couldn't agree upon the value, sub- 
mit it to two disinterested neighbors; and if they couldn't 
agree let the third man be brought in, which finding would 
be final. In ever^^ instance if tlie man who had made the 
entry failed to complj' with the terms, he was at once noti- 
fied that his absence from the settlement and a speedy de- 
parture from the countrj^ would be satisfactory to the set- 
tlement; and that if he failed to comph% he would have to 
submit to the punishments that would be inflicted upon 
liim. If the improvements, which v/ere alwa3's reasonable, 
were paid for, tlie part}' would move off, blaze out another 
claim, and go to work to improve it; but if he didn't re- 
ceive pa}' for his improvements, lie remained on tlie land 
and the otlier fellow's whereabouts would soon be un- 



34 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

known; and when the land was sold for taxes, the man 
owning the improvements wonld buy it in bj' paying the 
amount of taxes and costs without an opposing bid. 

When my father first located in this country, a large 
portion of the territory had never been sectionized. What 
was known as the old surve3% including range seven and a 
part of range eight (now in this county) formed a part of 
the old survey. Congress passed a law graduating the 
price of land according to the length of time it had been 
upon the market. The government price was $1.25 per 
acre. The first reduction was twenty -five cents upon the 
acre; then tl/ej' reduced the purchase price every few 
years until all the land included in the old survey went 
down to a bit an acre. The graduation law allowed each 
man to take up 320 acres by making actual settlement and 
cultivating it. But the land speculators took advantage of 
the law and hired men to go upon the land and make a few 
brush-heaps, and in the name of some man apply for the 
entr}', until all of the graduated lands were taken up, and 
there was not a bone fide settler who had complied with 
the law in one out of every hundred. 

Most of the land in Howell, Gunters, Peace, and 
Hutton valleys, and the land where West Plains is now 
situated, were entered at a bit per acre. After the entries, 
the valley lands commenced settling rapidly. When the 
time came to procure a patent to the land, speculators went 
to W^ashington and engineered a bill through Congress to 
allow the parties to prove up without making proof of act- 
ual settlement, and in that way fraudulently obtained pat- 
ents to two -thirds of all the land above referred to. The 
next thing, the speculators went East, sold their lands (or 
mortgaged them) by representing that all of the table lands 
were bottom lands and covered with walnut, hackberr^', 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 35 

box elder, and other bottom growths. They let the mort- 
gages all be foreclosed. 

The merchants, who procured title to the lands, sent 
out agents to examine the land, who went back and report- 
ed that the lands were valueless and were not worth the tax- 
es and refused to pay taxes on them. With some few ex- 
ceptions the lands were offered time and again for taxes, 
would not sell for the amount of the taxes and thousands 
of acres remained in that condition until a short time be- 
fore the building of the Kansas City & Memphis railroad. 
All of the table lands were looked upon by the people as 
being entirely worthless and fit for nothing but range. 

My father in the year 1849 sold out and removed from 
Bennett's river, Fulton county, to the North Fork of White 
river, in Fulton County but two miles from the State line, 
dividing Missouri and Arkansas. In the year 1852 father 
took the winter fever, died and was buried in the ceme- 
tery, three miles above the State line, known as the Tever- 
bauch cemetery. 

In the year 1854 my mother and one brother died with 
the bloody flux, leaving three sons of the family, William, 
the oldest one living, F. M. and James I. Monks. The 
author was married on the 10th day of April 1853 to Mar- 
tha A. Rice, a daughter of Thomas and Nancy Rice. He 
continued to reside upon the old homestead and was a far- 
mer b}^ occupation. The country commenced settling up 
rapidly. All the land on the streams was settled, with very 
few exceptions, with a frugal and intelligent class of peo- 
ple, mostl}^ from the middle states. In the year 1856 How- 
ell county w^as created by taking a part of the territory of 
Ozark and a part of the territory of Oregon, to-wit: Ran- 
ges 7 and 8 and a small part of 9 were taken from Oregon 
county and the remainder of 9 and 10 was taken from 
Ozark count}-. Andrew \'. Taber, Johnson (and the 



36 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

name of the other commissioner we have forgotten at the 
present time) proceeded to locate the county seat and pur- 
chased 40 acres near the West Plains spring and laid it out 
into lots, got the county seat near the center, as a suffi- 
cient amount of water was necessary, taking into considera- 
tion the town spring and then what was known as theBingi- 
man spring. The lots sold rapidly and the town grew be- 
yond any expectation and the country was improving and 
settliiig up with the town. 

In 1858 the author sold out on the North Fork of 
White river and moved into Howell county and located 11 
miles southwest of W^est Plains upon sections 2 and 11, 
range 9, was appointed constable of Benton township and 
in the year 1860 was elected constable of Benton township, 
commenced reading law in the j^ear 1858. In the year 
1860 West Plains was said to be the best, neatest, prettiest 
town in vSouth Missouri and contained about 200 inhab- 
itants; had a neat frame court house in the center 
of the square, a first-class hewed log jail, had four first- 
class stores (for the country at that time) which kept con- 
tinually on hand a general assortment of merchandise, had 
two saloons, tan yard and the countj^ was out of debt, with 
money in the treasury; a county warrant then Vv'as good for 
its face value in gold, and the country was prosperous in 
ever}^ respect. The people generall}" were fast friends and 
their chief interest was to develop the resources of the 
couTitr}' and aid and help each other. 

How a Mob V/as Prevented 

In 1860, a man resided about three miles below \\'est 
Plains by the name of Collins Coffey on the farm recentlj- 
owned by Thomas Bolin and some men bj^ the name of 
Griffiths and Boles — (some of them resided in West Plains 
and some of them resided in Thoiuasville, Oregon county) 



AND NORTHliRX ARKANSAS 37 

and the}' and Coffey had a falling out with each other and 
the ennait}' between them became very great. So the Grif- 
fiths, who lived at West Plains went down to Tliomasville 
and the}' and the Boles with a few other friends declared 
that they would come up to Coffey's and mob him. 

The}- went to work and made for themselves a uniform, 
procured a bugle, fife and snare drum, procured a hack, 
made them a place for a candle and aimed to come up in 
the night. 

Coffey owned considerable stock among which was a 
Inill about four years old. The range then was luxuriant 
and there was a pond near the side of the road that led 
from Tliomasville and West Plains and the bull with other 
cattle had lain down on the edge of the road about one 
mile from Coffey's residence. They armed themselves, 
procured their musicians, got 'into their hack, drawn by 
two horses and started off to the scene of action with a 
bright light, with a flig flyi ig and the muiic play- 
ing. When they reached the place near where the male 
was laying, he rose to his feet, squared himself and fetch- 
ed a keen bellow as though (although he was animal) he 
might have some information as to their mission. They 
paid no attention to the action of the bull and on their driv- 
ing witlrn about ten feet of him he made a desperate lunge 
forward ; they supposed that he intended to gore the horses, 
but missed his aim, struck the hack near the coupling, broke 
the coupling pole and turned head over heels, and fell 
right l^etween the horses. The horses became frightened, 
made a desperate lunge to extricate themselves, and the 
bull at the same time was scuffling to extricate himself. 
Both horses fell, the bull and horses were all piled into a 
heap, grunting and scuftfing. The occupants of the hack 
were all piled out in a heap, almost in an instant, and be- 
fore they could extricate themselves and get onto their feet 



38 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

the bull had gotten up and was moving in the direction of 
his master's house bellowing every step as if to say, "l 
dare you to come anj^ further." As soon as the posse got 
to their feet, having prepared, before thej^ started, with 
plenty of whiskey, and being pretty well filled at the time 
of the occurence. Boles got to his feet, drew his pistol, 
cocked it and swore he could whip any bull he ever saw, 
especially a one horned Coffey bull. 

The hack was almost demolished and the occupants 
consideralily bruised, both horses crippled, and after con- 
sultation, they concluded that as the Coffey bull had proved 
so successful they had better abandon their trip and retreat 
"in good order " to Tliomasville, leaving their horses 
hitched by the roadside and the shattered hack piled up at 
one side of the road. 

The next morning they sent out a team and brought 
the horses and hack back to Tliomasville, and thej' were 
wiser and perhaps better men, as the}' never again attempt- 
ed to mob Coffey. 

The strange feature about this matter is that the bull 
was never known to be cross before this occasion, when 
his master was to be mobbed. 

The society of the country had increased w'ith the 
population, and school houses and churches were erected 
all over the country, nice farms were opened up, the dwel- 
lings changed from round log to hewed log and frame, the 
people all manifested a great deal of interest in schools and 
churches and the general development of the country'. 

Religion and Politics. 

The prominent religious denominations from 1S49 to 
1860 consisted chiefly of Methodists, Baptists and the 
Christian order; but all appeared to recognize each other 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 39 

as Christians and would very often work together, as tliey 
had in' the early pioneer days. 

Everything had the appearance of pointing to the day 
when Howell county would become the garden sjiot of 
South Missouri. 

Politically, the country was largely Democratic. In 
political campaigns the Whig and Democratic candi- 
dates would canvass the country together, and while on the 
stump speaking they would assail each other's platforms in 
most bitter terms. After the speaking was over they would 
go to the same hotel or boarding place and laugh and talk 
together as though they belonged to the same political par- 
ty, and after the election was over the successful party 
would be recognized by the people as the officers of tlie 
whole people. You would see no partisan line drawn by 
the different courts between jiolitical parties, but the ap- 
pointments of all local officers were made according to the 
qualifications of the man and not as to what part}' he be- 
longed. The author, having been born and raised by 
Democratic parents, was a Democrat and acted with the 
Democratic party, his first vote for president having been 
cast for James Buchanan. In 1860 a great political ques- 
tion of the nation began to be agitated and a very bitter 
feeling was manifested from the stump between the Repub- 
lican and Democratic parties. 

After the Democratic party divided and the bolters 
nominated Breckenridge for president, the author took part 
in the canvas and was a strong advocate of vStephen A. 
Douglas, the regular nominee of the Democratic party, and 
at the election cast his vote for Stephen A. Douglas for 
president. 



40 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN JIISSOURI 



MISSOURI AND THE CIVIL WAR. 



Al)rahani Lincoln was elected President of the United 
States. vSoon after the election they began to discuss the 
question of seceding from the Government. The author 
again took the field in opposition to secession, and delivered 
a nunil)er of speeches. 

Ill a short time the people that had been the closest of 
friends and trusted a neighbor with the fnost sacred thing 
they possessed became bitter enemies and arrayed them- 
selves against one another and as the discussion of the great 
question of war continued to grow more bitter the people 
appeared to allign themselves for and against secession. 
The people soon grew so bitter that they often talked of 
fighting each other. 

Before the firing on Ft. Sumpter and after several of 
tlie states had actually seceded the Union sentiment pre- 
vailed so strongly in the state of Missouri that Clabourn 
Jackson, the then acting Governor, was compelled to order 
an election in the state of Missouri to settle the matter by a 
vote of the people as to whether Missouri should secede or 
remain in the Union. The author then took the stump and 
advocated that the state remain in the Union and manifest 
her loyalt}' to the preservation of the Union. In this cam- 
paign the feeling of the war grew more bitter. The result, 
however, of the election was that the state remained in the 
Union. In the mean time, Ft. Sumpter had been fired up- 
on by the rebels. 



AND NORTHICRN ARKANSAS 41 

Clabe Jackson, the Oovemor, appeared to be deter- 
niinei! upon the state seccdin.o: cither by fair or foul n.ieans. 
Without regardin.^i a majority vote of the people of the 
state. Clabe Jackson, the then acting; Governor, issued his 
proclamation convening the Legislature in extra session for 
the purpose of passing ordinances of secession. 

At that time Gen. Frost was in the command of the 
militia and some state troops stationed in St. Louis Barracks 
but he was in heart and sympathy a rel)el. Everything ap- 
peared to have been greased and prepared for the occasion. 

As the Governor had the whole machinery of tlie state 
con;pletely under his control he believed that it would be 
an easy matter for the legislature to pass ordinances of se- 
cession and carry tlie state out of the Union, but the Gov- 
ernment authorities at Washington learned of the critical 
condition and deep laid scheme of the Governor to carry 
the state out of the Union and at once ordered Capt. Lyons 
of the Regular Alm\^ (who afterward became General of 
the volunteer forces and fought the battle at Wilson Creek, 
Missouri) to come to St. Louis; he, being a captain in the 
Regular Army, outranked Gen. Frost, took possession of 
the troops, arms and amunitions, etc., reorganized and rap- 
idly in.creased the army by volunteers. 

On information reaching' Gen. Lyons that the legisla- 
ture had been convened in extra session he at once took his 
availal)le troops and left vSt. Louis with the intention of 
surrounding the Capitol and taking the members of both 
houses, the Governor, with all his state officers, prisoners; 
when the Governor learned that the Government troops were 
enroute for Jefferson Cit}^ and their purpose, he ordered the 
bridge to be burned across the Gasconade liver near its 
mouth, on what was then known as the North Pacific R. R. 
This delayed the troops for several hours. On their ap- 
proach to Jefferson Cit}^ the Governor and state officers and 



42 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

the members of both houses of the legislature and all the 
troops that had been ordered to the Capital by the Governor 
retreated to Boonville, Missouri. 

I heard our representative in a speech delivered a 
short time afterwards, say thej" came so near getting him 
while he he was getting out of Jefferson City that he lost 
his umbrella. Lj'ons pursued them and at Boonville tliey 
made a stand and on L,yon's arrival with his troops he 
attacked th^m and they fought for a short time. The}" 
again retreated, went into the extreme west part of the 
vState to a place known as lyOne Jack. There they made 
a stand again, Lj'ons still pursuing. He again attacked 
then at Lone Jack and after a short fight they retreated 
again into the State of Arkansas, and there Governor 
Jackson convened the legislature and they passed ordi- 
nances of secession declaring the State of Missouri out of 
the Union and that she was attached to the compact form- 
ing the Confederate States. 

General Lyon returned to St. Louis, increasing his 
force considerably, several regiments being attached to his 
command from other states. The government ordered him 
to prepare his troops and move west to Springfield. 
The terminus of the South ^lissouri Pacific R. R., at 
that time was at Rolla, Missouri. While Lyon was mass- 
ing his troops and preparing to march to vSpringfield the 
most intense excitement prevailed in the entire .State of 
Missouri. 

A Big Confederate Meeting at West Plains. 

The Confederate authorities at once commenced re-- 
cruiting for the Confederate service and the Confederate 
recruiting officers published a public meeting at West 
Plains about the first or tenth of Jul}' and while the Con- 
federate authorities were moving, the union or loj'al ele- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 43 

ment of the country was not idle, but was watching evtry 
move, openh- and secretly preparing for the conflict. 

A few days before the meeting was to be held at West 
Plains the Confederates sent to the pinery and procured 
a long pine pole, hoisted it at the corner of Durham's store 
at the northwest corner of the public square and swung 
to the breeze the stars and bars. At the same time, or 
near the same time, the Union men sent to the pinery 
and procured a pole. They hoisted it on the northeast 
corner of East Main street by the corner of ]^.IcGinty's 
store \vhere the vS. J. Langston Mercantile Co. , building 
now stands and swung to the breeze the stars and stripes. 

It was freeh' published throughout the count}- by the 
Rebels that if any Union man attempted to open his mouth 
on that day he would be shot as full of holes as a sifter 
bottom. There w'as a beautiful grove then growing just 
east of the branch on East Main street running from the 
town spring. I^arge preparations were made by the Rebels 
for the occasion. It was published that there would be 
leading Confederates from all over the state and different 
other states to speak on that day and one of the main 
features of the day would be recruiting for Confederate 
service. A big speaker's stand was erected with hundreds 
of seats. When the day arrived the town was crowded 
with people and the friends of both parties were armed 
and appeared to be ready for the conflict. The stars and 
bars attracted a great deal of attention, being the first 
flag that had ever been seen b}' the people that antagoniz- 
ed the stars and stripes and threatened to destroy' the 
United States Government. 

There was soon a number of determined men gathered 
under each flag. A number of their prominent speakers 
were on hand, among them Judge Price, of Springfield, 
known as "Wild Bill" Price. They readih- took in the 



44 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

situation and saw that a conflict was imminent, and 
as they were not read}- for it they met together in 
council and agreed that their men should not bring on 
the conflict on that day. Quite a number of the parties 
prepared themselves at the speaker's stand. When differ- 
ent speakers were introduced to address the people, many 
of the men would sit, either with their guns in their hands 
or with their guns near to them, and the most firey and 
extreme speeches were made that I ever heard. 

The author well remembers the speech of Judge Wil- 
liam Price. He told them that the lopeared Dutch had 
reached Rol'.a, Missouri, the terminus of the railroad, and 
that they \v'ere complete heathens; that Abraham Lincoln 
had given the state of Missouri to them, ii they would send 
enough lopeared Dutch to conquer the state, and that to 
his knowledge they had gone out into the country and 
taken men's wives and daughters and brought them into 
the camps, and that he saw them, in the presence of the 
mothers, run bayonets through their infant children and 
hoist them up and carry them around on their bayonets; 
that Abraham Dincoln had offered a reward for all of the 
preachers that were in favor of the South. He bursted 
into tears and asked the question, " I want to know who 
the man is, and the color of his hair, that won't enlist in 
the interest of his home, his wife, his children and everj^- 
thing that is sacred and good, to drive out lopeared Dutch, 
a certain class of Hessians, from our land." He urged 
them to come forward and place their names upon the rolls. 
Nearly all the preachers present placed their names on the 
recruiting list first. 

The excitement grew still more bitter. In the after- 
noon they began to threaten openly that the stars and 
stripes should be hauled down; that no flag should be al- 
lowed to float in West Plains that countenances and toler- 



AND XORTHl'.KX ARKANSAS 45 

ates heathen in our land. The Union men declared that 
the stars and stripes should not ])e lowered unless it was 
done over their dead bodies. Quite a nuuiber of Union 
men had assembled under the flag. The Union men were 
led by a man named Captain Lyle. He had been warned 
and cautioned b.y his friends not to open his mouth, for the 
reason that he would be shot full of holes. Late in the 
evening there was a lull in the speaking. The author 
walked up into the speaker's stand, called the attention of 
the people, saw a number of rifles grasped in their hands, 
and announced to them that they had been sitting all day 
listening to Confederate speeches, but on the next vSatur- 
day, if they would meet him at Black's store, about ten 
miles west of West Plains, they could hear Union speeches 
and the constitution of the United States would l^e read; 
thanked the crowd and stepped down. Quite a number of 
guns were raised in the hands of parties and a shower of 
groans and hisses, and remarks openly from a number that 
"We ought to shoot his black heart out now." 

It appeared for a while that it would be impossiljle to 
evade a conflict of arms. A number of orders being sent 
to the Union men to draw down their flag or they would 
fire on it and the men who supported it, an answer was re- 
turned that the rebels vvere requested to draw dov.'u their 
flag as it was a stranger in the land and unless tliej^ lower- 
ed their flag the stars and stripes wouldn't be lowered an 
inch, unless it v,"as done over their dead bodies. At last a 
proposition came that they would agree for the sake of 
averting bloodshed to commence lowering both flags at the 
same time which proposition was accepted; so wound up 
that da^^'s proceedings. 

On the Saturday follov\-ing, the author, with several 
other Union speaK'ers, met at Black's store vvdiere there 
were several rebel captains and lieutenants. The author 



46 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

made a speech in favor of remaining in the Union and 
stated that the attempt to secede b}' some of the states 
would eventually result in sad disaster, besides bringing 
untold suffering upon the people. Several other Union 
speeches were made after which the author read the con- 
stitution of the United States and urged that all lovers of 
republican form of government would comply with the de- 
mand of the supreme law of the land and, if necessarj-, sacri- 
fice property and life in defence of the same ; so ended that 
day's proceedings. 

McBride Establishes Military Law. 

As the organization of the confederates proceeded they 
still grew more bitter against the Union men and declared, 
by meeting and passing resolutions, that every Union man 
should show his colors in favor of the South or be hung as 
high as Hamen. In the meantime the Union men had se- 
cretly organized and met together, to take into considera- 
tion as to the time when they should act. 

The prevailing sentiment was, that they should remain 
dormant and let the rebels shed the first blood, while the 
minority thought the time had come for action, and that 
they ought to act before the rebels crippled them and tied 
them up in such a manner that, when the time did come, 
the}' would be entirely helpless and at their mercy. 

McBride, who had been elected judge of the 18th Ju- 
dicial circuit, which included Howell county, whose home 
was in Texas county, w^as made Brigadier General of the 
Confederate forces and commenced organizing and massing 
his troops. On the arrival of the federal troops at RoUa, 
Missouri, he became fearful that they would attack him, 
rout him and destroj^ his forces, so he concluded to march 
south to West Plains and make his headqi;arters at that 
]:ilace until he could organize his forces and prepare for 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 47 

inarching west, where he intendetl to join the forces of Gen. 
Sterling Price and Gen. McCnllough who then were mas- 
sing their forces to march on Springfield, Missouri, to at- 
tack the federal forces who were then stationed at vSpring- 
field under the conunand of Gen. L3'on and Gen. Seigle. 
On his arrival at West Plains he opened up headquarters, 
issued his proclamation that all Union men or any men 
that were unfriendly to the Confederate cause should come 
in and take the oath and the civil law was declared to be 
suspended and the military law completely in force. 

Then was when the dark day and trouble began to 
hang over the Union people. As soon as it was known 
that the civil law was suspended little bunches of rebels or- 
ganized all over the countr^^ and also in the state of Arkan- 
sas. In a short time after Gen. McBride's arrival in West 
Plains a man who was a door neighbor to the author came 
into his field where he was cutting wheat, asked him if he 
had seen the order of McBride. My answer was "No." 
He remarked, "Well, he has made a general order, re- 
quiring all Union men, especially those who have been 
open and active in behalf of the Union, to come in and take 
the oath, and unless they do the}' are going to hang them 
as high as Hamen." The author replied to him that he 
was a Union man and he knew it; he had been open and 
outspoken for the Union and had voted for McBride when 
he was elected Judge, but now he thought he was acting 
outside of the law and humanit}-. 

I had neither violatf.d the law of my land nor harmed 
any man and I did'nt consider that McBride had any right 
to order me to take an oath to take up arms against my 
country or support those who had taken up arms. If this 
did become a general war, I thought they were making a 
blunder, for the Government, or the lopeared Dutch, as 
they termed them, would have the advantage in the way of 



48 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

transporting' forage and coniniissaries and aniunitiiins of 
war, while the Confederates would have to ve\y mostly for 
tlieir resourees upon the county; that I was a peace officer 
and while I was a strong- Union man was'nt taking up arms 
and I thought that those who wanted to fight, if there had 
to be a fight, should go out into the open fields, and not 
force the war onto non-combatants, and that the country 
would suffer enough at best. Now you know I am a Un- 
ion man, and I know that you are in favor of the Confed- 
erate cause, and I think this is the course that ought to be 
pursued at the present time. The Confederates are in 
control of the country, and they will come around and say 
they must have forage for the support of the army, and ask 
you if you know of any Union men; you could tell them, 
"My neighbor right here is a Union man, hut he is not 
disposed to take up arms and go into the fight; take as lit- 
tle from him as you can possibl}" do with, and as little from 
m3\self ; in return, if this war goes on, and the Federal au- 
thorities extend their jurisdiction, they would be out hunt- 
ing rebels for the purpose of getting forage and conuiiissa- 
ries, and I could say to them that my neighbor here is a 
rebel but take iust as little as possible from him, and as 
little as ])ossible from me, as we are going to have a hard 
time to get through the war au}'- way. But if you pur- 
sue the policy you say has been adopted by tlie Confeder- 
ates, 3'ou will force all non-combatants into arms or drive 
them from the country and completely depopulate it." He 
burst into a big laugh and remarked, "Your promises are 
like a broken stick, 3^ou will never see the lopeared Dutch 
in this country." I said to him, "My friend, if this war 
goes on, before tlie end of it you will see wdiat you call 
lopeared Dutch as thick as blackl)ird.s; " and we separated. 



AND NORTIIEKN ARKANSAS 49 

Genera! Lyons Drives Rebels from Rolla. 

About June 10, 1851, the rebels were having: a big_ 
meeting- at Rolla, Phelps countjs Missouri, for the purpose 
of recruiting. General Ln'Ous at vSt. Louis, learned of the 
meeting, and at once placed quite a force in the cars, 
well armed and closed them up so they would not be de- 
tected and started for Rolla with the intention of capturing 
the whole outfit. ' j ' 

On the day set for the rebel meeting, quite a number:* 
of them had assembled and a certain young lawyer was' 
delivering an address, telling them that one soulliern man ■ 
could whip fi\'e lopeared Dutch and all they wanted was ' 
just an opportunity; in the meantime Lyon's forces had 
reached Dillon, the next station east of Rolla about five 
miles distant. There the forces were taken from the cars 
and divided, some marching southwest and the others 
northwest, making a tlank movement for tlie purpose of 
surrounding the vvhole place. While they were march- 
ing some person, who was a rebel, went vv'ith all the speed 
possible and informed the meeting tliat the Dutch were 
right upon them ; that the woods were full of tliem and to 
get out of there as quick as possible, if they wanted to 
save the'r lives. _.'.>__ 

The lawyer vdio was addressii^^fem sprang from tlie 
speakers stand an.d holloing at th^^p of his voice as lie 
went, "Get avv'ay from here, the Dutch are upon us." It 
was said that the lawyer ran so fast that if a glass of water 
had been sat upon his coat tail it woiild not have spilled. 
The}^ scattered to the woods in all directions. The Ped- 
al force came in; but their birds had all flown and left the 
citizens who had remained to tell the sad tale. 

The rebel forces at once retreated to Salem, Missouri, , 
where the}^ again concentrated their force. The Federal 
scout, in a few davs followed them to vSalem, and there 



50 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

attain routed them and they retreated directly to West 
Plains, joining the command of McBride at that place. 
The rebels, hurriedly, concentrated their forces from all 
the south and southeastern counties of Missouri and from 
the northern counties of Arkansas. 

General McBride made an order to gather all the arms, 
amunitions, and liorses that were fit for the service, as 
speedily as possible and the report was put in circulation 
ttiat he had given the county over to the leading rebels, 
wlio resided in it, whose action, whatever they did touch- 
ing the Union men, would be indorsed and carried out by 
General McBride. The leading rebels of the county at 
once sent out word that they were going to take all the 
arms, amunition and available horses from the Union men 
and that McBride required each and every one of them to 
report and take the oath at once, and if they failed to com- 
ply with said order, speedy action would be taken again.st 
them. 

They woukl either Ije arrested, imprisoned or forced 
into the Confederate army to fight and their leaders would 
be hung. 

On the issuing of the said order the wildest excitement 
prevailed among the Union men. They immediately met 
for the purpose of consultation as to what their final action 
would be. There were divers opinions among them; some 
of them were for acting at once; others (and a majority of 
them) were in favor of waiting until the rebels shed the 
first blood. Those who refused to report and take the oath 
had to place themselves in hiding at once. The rebels 
made a general move to raid, harass and capture the Union 
men. Then real danger confronted a man who claimed to 
be a Union man. The rebels had made a general amnesty, 
upon the condition that they would join the Confederate 
army and become loyal to the Confederate States. About 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 51 

two -thirds of the men who had been open and avowed 
Union men saw the danger that confronted them, and 
joined the Confederate army and claimed that they would 
be loyal to its cause. The remainder of the Union men 
were disarmed at once, except those who kept themselves 
concealed in the mountains and hills. 

After they had completely disarmed them and forced 
many of them to join the Confederate service, had taken 
most of their horses, cattle and hogs for the use of the 
army, the leading rebels in the county claimed that they 
had organized for the purpose of ridding the country of all 
Union men who had refused to join the Confederate forces ; 
tliat when McBride moved west he was going to leave the 
whole matter in their hands, and they intended to string up 
the Union men to limbs and shoot them, so they would 
soon be rid of the class of men who were friends of the 
lopeared Dutch and were nigger lovers. 

The Testing of Loyal Hearts. 

Small bunches of rebel troops came in from Arkansas 
and joined the bands that were raiding the country, and 
the Union men were hunted like wild beasts. Then set in 
the darkest day that ever any class of patriots, true to their 
government, had to confront. 

The author remembers well when the Union men 
would meet together, that they took the proposition made 
by McBride into consideration, and it was discussed pro 
and con. Some men would say, "While I am a Union 
man and for the government, all that I have in the world 
is here in Howell county; my little home, my property 
and, above all, my wife and children. They have prom- 
ised us protection provided we will join the rebel array. 
Had we not better accept the proposition and wait for re- 
sults?" Others would arise, with tears dripping from their 



52 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

ej-es, and remark that this state of affairs is hard indeed. 
"Can I afford to abandon my wife and children that I love 
so well and leave them unprotected in the midst of an open 
state of war, at the mercy of a mad and distracted people, 
who are thirsting for the loyal blood of the nation, and be 
alienated from them, perhaps, never more to see them ? " 
Others would arise and remark that "We liave seen this 
danger coming for months and we are satisfied that the 
worst has not come, and I know that I love my wife, my 
family, my little children, as I love my own heart; I love 
to meet them around my fireside and enjoy their sweet 
company, and I have delighted in laboring to furnish them 
food and raiment and shelter while they were growing into 
manhood and womanhood, but I have read and heard read 
that ni}^ highest dutj^ was to God and ni}' second duty was 
to m}^ country; and the organic law of the nation requires 
at my hands that whenever it becomes necessary to pre- 
serve my government, that I owe to it my life, my honor 
and the welfare of my famih-; and the trying ordeal is now 
at hand and I don't ktiow what the final result will be — if I 
am forced aw^ay from my family, I know they will be left 
at the mercy of an intolerant and unrelenting enemy, but- 
I now and here lay ni}' life, my famil}-, my propert;-: and 
my future happiness upon the altar of my country, and let 
come what will, weal or woe, I intend, with all my feeble 
effort, to defend the stars and stripes, and stand up openly 
and courageously in defense of and for the preservation of 
the Union." That proposition prevailed and was unani- 
mously adopted by the Union men. 

At this time there w^as no government aid in reach of 
these loyal hearts, that were controlled by nothing but love 
of country. Uncle Sam could do nothing for them. They 
were completely surrounded in an enemy's country, and 
while they (the men), with what arms they had preserved, 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 53 

could by strateo-}- evade the arrest and slaughter of them- 
selves, their families were completely at the mercy of a mad 
and howling mob, thirsting for the blood of Union men. 

While the loyal men in the North were enlisting in the 
interest of their country, Uncle Sam paid them $13.00 per 
month, clothed them, and their families were left in the 
care of friends; they knew nothing about the war, except 
what the)' read; but not so with the Union men who were 
surrounded in an enemy's country. They, without a sin- 
gle word of protection or comfort from the government for 
themselves or their families, but their love and devotion to 
their country led them to furnish themselves, to leave their 
families as best they could, at the mercy of a howling mob, 
for the defense of their countr3^ 

Rebels Defeated in Douglas County. 

The loyal men in Douglas county and the north part 
of the county of Ozark were in the ascendency. A rebel 
force organized from the county of Howell, Missouri, and 
Fulton county, Arkansas, wanting to have some fun hunt- 
ing Union men, learned that on Bryant's Fork on the north 
fork of White river in Ozark count}^ there was a bunch of 
Union men. So they armed and equipped themselves, 
furnished themselves roj^es, and marched to hunt the place 
these men were said to be. The Union men hearing of 
their intention hurriedly prepared a temporary barricade 
around the house, and about sixt}' of them gathered to- 
gether with their squirrel rifles in readiness to repel the at- 
tack in case it was made. The rebel scout consisted of 
two hundred and fifty men. 

Earl}' in the morning reliable information reached the 
Union men that the rebel forces were well under wa}^ and 
would reach them some time in the afternoon. One of the 
Union men, who had always borne the reputation of being 



54 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

a brave man and would fight anything, became impatient 
as the time drew near that they were to be attacked. He 
had been a great hunter and was considered a first-class 
shot, and he remarked to the Union men, "l can't wait for 
the rebels to attack us, I want to get a shot at one so bad 
with Old Betsy (his gun). I know of a bald knob, about 
a quarter of a mile from here, where the rebel force is 
bound to pass. I am going there; place yourselves in 
waiting, and when you hear 'Old Betsey' belch, you may 
know there is one dead rebel, and be certain that they are 
coming." In about an hour after tile man referred to had 
left, the rebel advance came in sight, but thej^ never heard 
"Old Betsy" belch. They vigorousl}^ attacked the Union 
men inside their fortifications, and after fighting for about 
an hour, they retreated, leaving one man dead upon the 
field and one wounded. The Union men received no in- 
jury whatever. They became very uneasy in regard to 
their friend and "Old Betsy," supposing he had fallen into 
the hands of the enemy and they had used the rope on 
him. Search w^as made all along the line of march of the 
rebels for the missing man, but no information could be 
learned of his whereabouts. However, in about one week, 
news came from Douglas county that their friend and "Old 
Betsy" arrived safely at another rendezvous of Union men 
in Douglas count3^ about forty miles distant, and reported 
that tlie Union men had had a fight wdth the rebels, and 
thej' were all captured or killed, with the exception of him- 
self, and he had made his escape after the fight. 

Just before McBride l)roke camps to march west to 
join Gen. Price and Gen. McCuUough, he made a general 
order that they arrest and seize every Union man possible, 
and after he left the country, that the committee who had 
been organized to take charge of the county, would at once 
exterminate every Union man who had failed to take the 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 55 

oath or to join the Confederate army, giving them full 
power as to what disposition the}' would make of them. 

Rebels Capture Col. MonKs. 

On the 7th of July, 1861. one of my neighbors came 
to me and informed me that the time had come that every 
Union man had to show his colors and unless they report- 
ed and took the oath or joined the Confederate arm5^ they 
would hang as high as Haman. While the Union men 
were on their guard and watching their movements, once in 
a while the}- would slip in home to see how the family was 
getting along. My family at that time consisted of a wife 
and four children, three girls and one boy. My wife had 
never been accustomed to staying alone and I came in 
home late on the evening of the 7th, thinking that I would 
leave the next morning before daylight. Sometime after 
the family had retired, not far from 11 o'clock in the night. 
I was awakened by a rapping on the door. My wife, sus- 
pecting who the parties were, answered them, and demand- 
ed to know what was wanted ; one of them, who claimed to 
be an orderly' sergeant, remarked that he wanted to know 
if Monks was at home. She replied that he was not. A 
man by the name of William Biflfle, whom the author had 
been acquainted with for years, replied, "He is here, I 
know, for I coursed him into this house late yesterday even- 
ing." The author at once arose to his feet and remarked, 
"I am here, what is wanted?" A man bj^ the name of 
Garrett Weaver, w^ho claimed to be an orderly sergeant 
and in charge of the squad, also a neighbor to the au- 
thor said, "I have been ordered by Gen. McBride to arrest 
3'ou, bring j^ou in and make you take the oath." I owned 
at that time a first-class rifle and there was also another 
rifle gun in the house. I took my gun into my hands 
and my wife took hold of the other gun. I told them that 



56 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

a general order had gone forth, so I was informed, that they 
wanted to hang all the leading Union men and "if that is 
your intention I will die before I surrender." Weaver re- 
plied they were not going to hang me, but they were just 
goinji to take me to McBridc- to take the oath and I should 
be protected. Upon those terms I agreed to surrender, 
made a light in the house and found that the house was sur- 
sounded by a posse of twenty -five rebels. As soon as the 
light was made, a part of them rushed into the house, took 
mj^ gun and jerked the one my wife had in her hand out 
of her posession, almost throwing her to the floor, began a 
general search of the house for other arms and such things 
as the}' said the army needed. 

As soon as I dressed, they ordered me to move. They 
didn't even give me time to say good-bye to my wife, nor 
to imprint a kiss upon the cheeks of my loving children. 
Closely surrounding me, they marched me al)out 250 yards, 
came to their horses, where two more of their posse guard- 
ed the horses, they having dismoimled, to approach the 
house on foot so they might not be heard. 

"Billy, You Ought Not to be So Saucy." 

When within a few feet of the horses the author was 
halted. It was just starlight. I noticed a man by the 
name of Wilburn Baker, a man with whom the author had 
been acquainted from a boy, go to the horn of one of the 
saddles, lift therefrom a coiled rope and move toward the 
author. The author quickly arrived at the conclusion that 
the time had come to enforce the order of hanging. Baker 
ordered the author seized by the arms, drew them be- 
hind him and securely tied him. The author asked, just 
as they had completed the tying, "What do you mean? 
Are you going to cage me?" Baker replied, "Billy, you 
ought not to be so saucy, for you don't know the danger 



58 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

you are in." I was at once ordered placed on a horse. 
One of the posse rode up to my side and placed the other 
end of the rope around his body and the posse moved west. 
A short time before daylight they arrived at the house of 
William Nicks, who was a rebel lieutenant. They dis- 
mounted and took the author into the house. There ap- 
peared to be a general rejoicing among them. Nicks said, 
"You have got him, have you? We had become uneasy 
about you, and thought it might have been possible that he 
had his Union forces around him and that you had met 
with disaster; but I feel satisfied that we have now captured 
the leader and the counselor of the Union forces and the 
remainder will lie easily extinguished." Gen. McBride in 
the meantime, being uneasy for fear the Federal troops 
would attack him, had removed his forces from West Plains 
to the south part of Howell county, camping at what was 
known as the Flag pond. 

I was closely guarded until daylight. McBride's forces 
had broken camp at the Flag pond on the morning 
of July 8th and were marching west with the intention of 
joining the forces of Gen. Price and Gen. McCullough, who 
were then moving in the direction of Springfield, Missouri, 
with the intention of attacking the Federal forces at that 
place, commanded by Gen. Lyon and Gen. Siegel. Very 
early on the morning of the 8tli the party started in a south- 
west direction, with the author closeh' guarded. On 
coming near the head of Bennett's river, Fulton county, 
Arkansas, the posse commenced cheering and remarked: 
"Listen! Do you hear the drums and the fife? That is 
Gen. McBride's command moving west to kill them lop- 
eared Dutch that you Union men have brought into the 
state of Missouri. Do you know what we are going to 
do with such men as you are? Those of you that we don't 
hang, the first fight that we get into with the lop-eared 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 59 

Dutch, we will make breastworks out of to keep the 
bullets off of good men." 

About one mile further we came in sight of the mov- 
ing column. We rode along the line, when there was gen- 
eral cheering until we reached a company that was organ- 
ized in Oregon county and commanded b}' Capt. Simpson. 
Simpson said. "Why have you brought a Union man in 
here alive! If my company- had possession of him, he 
could not live ten minutes." 

We soon reached a company commanded by Capt. 
Forshee which was organized in this county' to whom the 
whole posse that made the arrest, belonged. The author 
was well acquainted with all of them and over half of them 
resided in the same settlement and were his neighbors. 
On reaching the company Captain Forshee walked out of 
the line and remarked to them "Why have you brought 
him in here alive?" Some of the posse remarked, that 
he had been a neighbor and they had all been friends up to 
the war and they hated to kill him. Forshee said "When 
I saw him at West Plains at the speaking when he got up 
and contended that there was a union and the government 
ought to be preserved, I wanted to shoot his black heart 
out of him and I feel the same way yet." 

The author was kept in close confinement and on the 
night of the 8th the command went into camp near what 
is known as the old Steve Thompson farm. The author, 
with several other prisoners, was placed in the guard house 
and orders were given that he be closely guarded. 

After the}' had taken their suppers, men that the 
author had been acquainted with from his boyhood, and 
men who had been acquainted with his relatives, came to 
the guard house in considerable numbers and remarked, 
"Hello, Monks?" "I never expected to see 3-ou under 
arrest." "What have j'ou been doing that they have ar- 



60 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

rested you? I thouolit 3-011 was a good Democrat." "Have 
you left your party." "The Democratic party is in favor of 
tlie South." The author replied to them that when they 
thought he was a good Democrat they were right. But that 
he was not a slave to party and that he held country higher 
tl:an party and if Democracy meant secession and mullifica- 
tion, that was one part of the principals of Democracy that 
he had never learned; that true Democracy, as understood 
by the author, taught every man that in case his country 
was invaded either externally or internally that he owed 
his honor and property in the support of it and for those 
reasons he was for the preservation of the Union at all 
hazards. Some remarked that "We oug;ht to hang him 
right now without waiting any longer" Others remarked 
that "We have been acquainted with his people both 
on his mother's and father's side and they were all south- 
ern people and Democrats and they are all of them, al- 
most, in favor of the South. It is strange indeed to see 
the course that he has taken. The author remarked that 
"There were alwaj'S some shabby sheep in a flock and I 
suppose from your reasoning that lam one of them." 
They all retired, the ofhcers giving orders that the most 
vigilant watch be kept over the prisoner. After he had 
retired a gentleman by the name of Joseph Teverbaugh 
who resided in Ozark count}', a merchant and the owner 
of about twenty negroes, who had been well acquainted 
with the author from his boyhood, brought up the conver- 
sation as to what disposition they thought ought to be 
made of the author. The author could easly hear all the 
conversation inside of the guard line Many opinions were 
expressed. Quite a number said, "Hang him outright." 
That was the only way to get shut of the Union men, to 
make short work of it, and forever rid the country of that 
element. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 61 

Others said that appeared to be too harsh, that the^' 
were in favor of taking him to Little Rock and confining 
him in the penitentiary until the war was over, for it would- 
n't take but a short time to rid the country of the lopeared 
Dutch and those who were friends to them. Others re- 
marked that "that would be too eas3' for a man who was in 
favor of the lopenred Dutch; that we are in favor of taking 
all like him right into the army and making them fight and 
if they v>'on"t fight, the first engagement we get info, pile 
them up and make breastworks out of them, so that they 
will catch bullets off of good men." At this juncture Tev- 
erbaugh remarked, "I have been acquainted with Bill}' from 
a boy and j^ou never can force him to fight against what he 
believes to be right," that he was a good bo}- and since he 
has grown up to be a m.an he has been an honorable and 
straightforward man and quite an active man politicalh^ and 
mj^ advice would be to confine him in the State Penitentiarj' 
until the war is over, for I tell j^ou now if he ever gains his 
liberty 5'ou are going to have him to fight." 

Sold as a Beef Cow. 

On the morning of the 9th they l^roke camp and marched 
near the mouth of Bennett's river and went into camp at 
v.'hat was then known as Talbert's mill. A short time after 
we had been in camp Capt. Forshee, who had charge of the 
prisoners, came to the guard house and the author request- 
ed him that he be allowed to take the oath and return 
home, as his wife and children were almost scared to death 
owing to the reports that were currenth" circulated all 
through the country, his wife would believe the}^ had hung 
him. The captain replied that they were not going to al- 
low him to take the oath. Thej- had plenty of proof against 
him, that he had been communicating to the lopeared Dutch 
and as soon as the}- had formed a junction with Price and 



62 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

McCullough he would be tried as a sp}'. He gave orders 
to the guard to see that he was kept in close confinement, 
and about 11 o'clock in the night as near as the author can 
guess, it being starlight, the Captain came down to the 
guard house in company with one of his men, Frank Mor- 
rison. 

The author was lying on the ground pretending to be 
asleep. The Captain came inside of the guard, called out, 
"Monks, are you asleep?" The author raised up in a sit- 
ting position and said, "Captain what is wanted"? The 
Captain remarked, "I want you to go up to my camp fire," 
wh'ch was aboot 75 yards distance from the guard house. 
The author said, "Captain, this is a strange time of night to 
comedown and order me to j^our camp fire." He said, 
"Not another word out of you, rise to your feet." He 
ordered Morrison to step behind him with the same gun 
that he had recent!}' taken from the author and cock it and 
"if he makes a crooked step from here up to the camp fire 
shoot him through." The author heard Morrison cock 
the gun and about half way between the guard house and 
the camp fire the Captain remarked to the author, "Do j^ou 
know Kasinger?" The author, suspecting that he was 
going to be delivered to a mob, said "I know him very 
well; we have grown up together from boys." The Cap- 
tain said, "I thought he was a mighty nice man. I have 
sold you to him for a beef cow." The author remarked 
there was but one thing he was sorry for; that if he had 
known he was going to be delivered to a mob he never 
would have surrendered and had some satisfaction for his 
life. The Captain said, "I thought I was doing mighty 
well to sell a black Republican or a Union man for a beef 
cow where we have as many good men to feed, as we have 
here." 



ANT) NOKTHERX ARKANSAS 63 

His camp nre was under a gum tree vriih a large top. 
The fires bad all died down- it being in July and nothing 
but the stars were giving the light. On coming within 
two or three feet of the tree the Captain ordered the author 
to halt. He and Morrison walked about ten paces 
and said, "I have brought you up here to liberate you. 
We have got plenty of good men here to feed without feed- 
ing men who are friends to the lopeared Dutch.'" The 
author replied to the Captain , * "you may think you are deal- 
ing with a fool. I have neither violated the civil nor mili- 
tary law: have demanded atrial and. ycu refuse to give it 
to me. You can't bring me up here at this time of night 
and pretend to turn me loose for the purpose of escaping the 
resjxDnsibility of an oScer and deliver me into the hands 
of a mob. " 

Tne Confeaera'e .•^rmy or Hell. 

The author was satisfied that he could then see a 
bunch of men standing in readiness. The Captain replied. 
'"Sit down or you will be shot in half a minute." The 
auihor sat down and leaned against the tree. He had on 
strong summer clothing, wearing an a''paca vest and coat. 
In an instant, about twenty-five men, led by Kasinger, and 
a man by the name of William Sap, approached the author; 
Kasinger, holding a rope in his hand with a noose in it. 
walked up to the author, held the noose of the rope 
above his head and said, "Monks, you have half a minute 
to say you will join the army and fight, or go to hell, just 
which you please. " The author replied that it was said 
that "hell was a hot place." but he had never been there, 
and that he had always been counted a truthful man until 
he had been arrested, and since his arrest he had been 
asked divers questions of the whereabouts of the lopeared 
Dutch, and that he had told them in everv instance he 



64 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

knew nothin.^ of them and had been cursed for a liar. "If 
I was to say that I would join the arni^' and fight, I might 
have a cowardly set of legs and they might carrj' me away; 
and in the next place, I am a Union man, first, la'^t and all 
the time. I suppose your intention is to hang me, and 
there is onh' one thing I am sorrj' for, and that is that I 
ever surrendered ; but there is one consolation left, when 
yon kill me j'ou won't kill them all, and you will meet 
plent>' of them that won't be disarmed as I am now." 

Kasinger replied, "No damn foolishness, we mean 
business," and made an attempt to drop the noose over my 
head, which was warded oil with nn' arms. 

At this juncture the author appealed to the Captain for 
protection from the mol), sa3nng that he was a prisoner, 
iniarmed and lielplcss, and if he suffered him to be mur- 
dered by a mob his blood would be upon the Captain's 
head. No reph^ being n.iade by tlie Captain, all (i the par- 
ties being considerably under the influence of vvdiiske}', Sap 
raised his left hand, pushed Kasinger back and remarked, 
"I have been shooting and wounding some of these black 
Repnl)lica:is who are friends of the lopeared Dutch, but I 
intend to shoot the balance of them dead.'' At the same 
time he drew a pistol from his right-hand pocket, cocked 
it, stooped over, ran his fingers under the author's cloth- 
ing, gave them a twist and commenced punching him around 
the chest witlr the muzzle of the revolver, and after, as the 
author thought, he had punched him some fift}' or sixty 
times with the revolver, the author said to him, "William 
Sap, there is no question but tliat 3'our intentions are to 
kill me, and you want to torture me to death. You know 
that if I was armed and on eqi:al footing with you, 5'ou 
would not do this." He made a quick jerk with his left 
hand, intending to jerk the auth.or u])on his face, remark- 
ing to the Captain at the same time, "Captain, you prom- 



66 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

ised him to lis and ".ve are going to take him." The auth- 
or, with all force possible, leant against the tree. Sap's 
hold broke loose, tearing off all the buttons that were on 
the vest and coat. 

The author again appealed to the Captain for protec- 
tion from the mob. The Captain then remarked to Sap , 
"Hold on for a moment, I will take a vote of my company- 
as to whether we will hang him or not." The company at 
that time was lying on the ground, most of them appar- 
entl}' asleep. The Captain called out aloud to his com- 
pany, ''Gentlemen, I am going now to take a vote of my 
company- as to whether we will hang Monks or not. All 
in favor of it vote, aye; all opposed, no." He then took 
the affirmative vote and the negative vote. They appear- 
ed, to the author, to be almost evenly divided. Sap again, 
remarked to the Captain "You promised him to us, we 
have bought him and paid for him and he is ours." 

The author again appealed to the Captain for pro- 
tection. The Captain replied to Sap, "He claims pro- 
tection and as I am an officer and he a prisoner I reckon 
\ve had better keep him until we reach McCullough and 
Price and then we will tr\- him for a sp\^ and there is plen- 
ty of evidence against him to prove that he has been 
w-riting to the lop-eared Dutch and af.er he is conv'cted 
will turn him over and you men can take charge of him." 
At this juncture a brother in-law of the Captain said, 
"Captain, I have one request to make of you. I want 
you to tike Monks in the morning and tie him hard and 
fast, with his face to a tree, and lee me shoot with a rest 
sixty yards and show you how I can spoil a black Repub- 
lican's pate." The Captain replied, "As soon as he is 
convicted you can have the gratification of shooting him 
just as often as 3-ou please." 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 67 

The Captain and Morrison again took charge of the 
author, carried him back and delivered him to the guard 
with instructions to the guard to be diligent in keep - 
ing him closely confined so that he would have no pos- 
sible chance of escape. On the morning of the 10th we 
broke camp and went into camp that night just beyond 
where Mountain Home now stands. Dr. Emmons, of West 
Plains, who was a strong Union man and who afterwards 
became captain in the 6th Missouri Cavalry, attempted to 
go through to the Federal forces but was pursued by the 
rebels, captured somewhere in Texas county and brought 
back to the camp. He was also a prisoner at the same time; 
but being a master mason, was paroled to the limits of the 
camp and on the night of the lOth made his escape and 
got through to the Federal lines, enlisted and was made 
captain. Of him we will speak later. 

In Camp at Yellville. 

On July 11th the}' broke camp and reached Yellville, 
Marion county, and on the 13th reached Carrolton, a small 
town in Arkansas, and went into camp. The author well 
remembers the spring. It ran out of the steep, rocky gulch 
and the branch ran a little south of west and a beautiful 
grove of timber surrounded the spring. The prisoners were 
marched down within a few feet of the spring and there 
placed under guard. As usual, the abuse that had been 
continuall}' heaped upon the prisoners during the march was 
renewed and in a short time a man who was said to be from 
one of the counties north of Rolla, Mo., commenced making 
a speech and inciting and encouraging the soldiers to mob 
the prisoners at once; that he had disguised himself and en- 
tered the camps of the lop-eared Dutch at Rolla, and that to 
his own personal knowledge they had men's wives and 



68 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

daughters inside of their camps, committing all manner of 
offenses possible, and that they were heathens; didn't re- 
semble American people at all and that he would not guard 
nor feed any man who was a friend to them ; that they 
ought to be killed outright. 

The men who enlisted in the Confederate army from 
Howell and adjoining counties, before starting, went to the 
blacksmith shops and had them large butcher knives 
made ; made a belt and scabbard and buckled them around 
them, and said that the}^ were going to scalp lop -card Dutch. 
In a short time the tenor of the aboved mentioned speech 
had incited over 400 men and it had become necessary to 
double the guard. The grove of timber was filled with 
men and boys looking over, expecting to see the prisoners 
mobbed every minute. There was a man who drew his 
pistol, others drew knives and made differerent attempts 
to break lines and mob the prisoners. The man in posses- 
sion of the pistol declared that he intended to shoot them. 
He was on an elevated place and they called him "Red," 
and there were three or four men liolding him to prevent 
his firing. The author remarked to him that: "The time 
will soon come when you will meet men who are not dis- 
armed. You had better save your bravery until you meet 
them, and my opinion is that you won't need any man to 
hold you then." Just about this time on the north side of 
the spring — the land dropped toward the spring, on a de- 
scent of about 45 degrees— the author heard the voice of a 
man ordering the guard to "open the lines and let these 
ladies come in." The author at once arose to his feet and 
spoke out in an audible voice to the guard to give away and 
let the ladies come in and see a Northern monkey exhibited, 
that the monkeys grew a great deal larger in the north than 
they did in the south. At this juncture it appeared to take 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 69 

one more man to hold Red who said that ''he would kill 
the sauc}- scoundrel if it took him a week to do it." 

When the posse came in we saw that the ladies were 
accompanied by eight or ten Confederate officers with 
about fifteen ladies. All the ladies carried small Confed- 
erate flags, the first ones that the author had ever seen. On 
coming very close to the prisoners they halted and one of 
the officers remarked, "These are the Union men that are 
friends to the lop-eared Dutch. Coulden't you tie the knot 
upon them to hang them?" I think almost everyone spoke 
out and said "we could." After heaping other epithets 
and abuse upon the prisoners they and the officers retired 
outside of the line. The speaker was still talking, urging 
and insisting that the prisioners should be mobbed at once, 
that the)' should not be permitted to live. 

At about this stage of the proceedings aman"svoice 
was heard on top of the bank saj-ing, "Men, I believe 
3'our intentions are to kill these prisoners. You have all 
started out to fight and you don't know how soon yoii 
might be taken prisoner and 5^ou would not like to be treat- 
ed in an5^ such manner; I know Billy, (referring to the 
author) and all you have against him is the political side 
that he has taken and I order the orderly' sergeant to double 
the guard around the prisoners so there will be no possible 
chance for the mob to get through, and move with the 
prisoners south to a large hewed log house and place the 
prisoners therein, and place a guard around the walls and 
suffer no man to approach the house without an order 
from the officers. ' ' 

As the prisoner began to move, the excited soldiers, 
who were wanting to mob them, brought out an Indian yell, 
and it appeared to the author he could almost feel the 
ground shake. After they were put into the houses, 
among the prisoners were some who were deserters, 



70 HI.STORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

the author wliispered to the Union men and told them to 
lie down close to them so that they could not distinguish 
from the outside one from another. The author was in- 
formed b}^ Maj. William Kelley, of the Confederate army, 
who resides at Rolla, Phelps county, Missouri, at the pres- 
ent time, that he was the officer who made the order to 
remove the prisoners into the house and place a heavy 
guard around them to i^revent their being mobbed. This 
ended the excitement for the evening. 

The author had nlwaj's been a believer in the reali- 
ties of religion. About one -tenth of the officers appeared 
to be Baptist and Metliodist preachers, and frequently 
when they would go into camp would call a large number 
of the men together and very often take the prisoners and 
place them near by under a heav}' guard, and then con- 
vene religious services. The}' alwa5\s took for a text some 
subject in the Bible and the author remembers well of the 
taking of the subjects in the book of Joshua, where 
Joshua was coiiianded to pnss around the fortifications of 
tlie enemy and blow the ram's horn and the fortifications 
fell, and, the God of Joshua was the same Gad that ex- 
isted to-day and there was no question but that God was 
on the side of the South and all the^^ had to do was to 
have faith and move on, attack the lopeared Dutch and 
God was sure to deliver them into their hands. 

The author could not help but add, in his own mind, 
that when the attack is made that God set the earth to 
shaking and all around where the lopeard Dutch are stand- 
ing that the earth will open and swallow them up just 
leave their heads above the surface; so that those Con- 
federates who were so furious could take their big knives 
and scalp the Dutch as they had said on divers occasions 
thev intended to do. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 71 

Makes His Escape. 

The author was determined to make his escape when- 
ever the opportunit}- offered; and he could learn all about 
the whereabouts of the Federal soldiers from the excited 
Confederate scouts who would ride along the lines and say 
that the lopeared Dutch were as thick as rats at Springfield, 
Missouri, moving around in ever}' direction and thej^ 
might be attacked at an}' time and General McBride was 
looking ever}' day to be attacked by the Federal forces to 
cut off his forming a junction with Generals Price and 
McCullough. 

In about four or five da3's they reached Berr^'ville. near 
where the Eureka Springs are, and went into camp just 
west of Berr^'ville right at the spurs of the Boston moun- 
tain. The prisoners Vv^ere placed in tlie guard house near a 
little cree!< that was then dr}'. Ca])tain Forshee's com- 
pan}.- went into camp next to the company comanded b}^ 
Captain Gallowa}' of Howell count}'. As the vveather was 
very hot and dry and the author had been marched bare- 
footed (one of his shoes having worn out) until his feet 
were badly blistered, he was lying down, feigning sickness. 
The guard has become a little careless. Just about sundown 
heavy thunder set in in the west. The clouds continued to 
increase, the elements grew very dark. In the meaii time 
they had put out a chain guard all around the encamp- 
ment and said guard was about thiity steps from guard 
house. The low lands were all bottom, covered with 
heav}- timber and a large oak had fallen across the creek 
and reached from bank to bank and the bark had all slip- 
ped off. About thirty feet from the top of the tree the foot 
of a steep mountain set in. The guard fire was about sixty 
5'ards south of the guardhouse. The clouds soon came 
up and a heavy rain set in, with terrific thunder and light- 



/2 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

ning, and as the ariiu' had temporary tents the guards all 
crawled in under the tents and left the author by the fire. 
The rain soon quenched the fire. 

The chain guard were walking up and down the drj' 
creek and they met at the log referred to. The author 
thought now was his time to make his escape, if ever ; know- 
ing that he would have to have a shoe, slipped to one of the 
tents, got hold of a shoe, and then the thought struck him 
that he would like to have a revolver, but on further ex- 
amination found their revolvers to be placed in such a posi- 
tion that it was impossible to get one Avithout waking the 
men. He then slipped to the butt of the log and heard the 
guard meet at the log and turn again on their beat. He at 
once crossed on the logon the other side, walked into the 
the brush, reached the foot of the mountain about twenty 
steps distant and halted. Everything appeared to be quiet, 
the release around the guard fire were singing, whooping 
and holloing. 

The author then took the mountain which was about 
one quarter of a mile high, and it always has appeared to 
the author that he crossed the log and went up the moun- 
ain as light as a cat. On reaching the top, still raining 
heavily, the thought came into his mind that "I am once 
more a free man, but I am in an enemy's country, without 
friends," and at once determined in my mind to reach 
Springfield, Missouri, if possible. I sat dowm, pulled on 
the shoe that I had taken and it just fitted without a sock; 
I then procured a dead stick lor the purpose of holding 
before me as I traveled for fear I would walk off of some 
steep cliff or bluff, as it was very mountaineous. 

Having the guard fire for a criterion I moved north- 
west, soon struck the leading road west that the army was 
marching on, traveled the road for about one mile, came 
onto the pickets, surrounded the pickets, struck the road 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS /3 

again, traveled all night until just gra}^ day, directlj^ west 
or nearl}^ so. A slow rain continued all night. As soon 
as it became light enough to see I found m3"self in a coun- 
try completeh^ covered with pine timber. I turned square 
from the road, went about 350 3'ards up to the top of a 
high knob, found about one quarter of an acre level bench. 
A large pine had turned out by the roots and the hole was 
partiallj' filled with old leaves. The author alwa3-s had 
been afraid of a snake but the time had come when he had 
more fear of a man than a snake, so he rolled himself 
down into the hole in the leaves and at the time had be- 
come chilled with the steady rain. About 9 or 10 o'clock, 
as well as the author could guess, he heard the beat of the 
drum which told that the armj^ was marching on the same 
road that he had traveled in the night. In a short time 
the army passed where the author was Ij'ing in the sink. 
The author could have raised himself up and have seen the 
procession pass but he had seen them just as often as he 
wanted to and he remained still. Late in the evening a 
companj^ of about 65 men passed. The author was inform- 
ed afterwards that they had been detailed to make search 
for the prisoner, with orders if they found him, to shoot 
him at once. The author was further informed by Confed- 
erates who belonged to the command that as soon next 
morning as it was reported that the author had made his 
escape that the chain guard declared that no man could 
have passed between them and they were satisfied that 
the author was still inside of the lines. 

They at once made a large detail and commenced 
searching. There were quite a large number of box elders 
with very heavy, bushy tops. They said every single tree, 
every drift and possible place of hiding, was examined. 
Orders were at once issued by the commander, who sent 
word back to the home of the author, that he had made his 



74 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

escape and to watch for him and as soon as he came in home 
to arrest him and either shoot him or hang him at once. 

In the afternoon of the same day it cleared off and just 
as soon as dark cams, the author was determined to try to 
reach vSpringfield, being in a strange country and knowing 
that if he was re-captured it would be certain death. He 
knew somewhere about the distance he had traveled west. 
He located the north star which he used as his pilot or guide 
and set out for Springfield, having no arms of any kind, not 
even a pocket knife and had become very hungry. He came 
to a slippery-elm tree, took a rock, knocked off some of the 
bark, ate it and proceeded on his journey, traveling all 
night. When gray day appeared again, he went to a hick- 
ory grub, broke the grub off with a rock, cut the top off 
with a sharp edged rock, to be used for a weapon, placed 
himself in hiding, remained all day. As soon as night came, 
again he proceeded on his journey, traveled no roads except 
when they run in direction of the north star. On the sec- 
on.d morning he went into a small cave surrounded by a 
thicket, about 10 o'clock in the day he found that he was 
near enough to some rebel command to hear the drilling. 
As soon as dark came on he proceeded on his journey. 
The nights were dark and only star light until the after part 
of the night. He went near a spring house, but when he 
got to it, there wasn't a drop of milk in it. He passed 
through an Irish potato patch, grabbled two or three small 
Irish potatoes and ate them; passed through a wheat field, 
rubbed out some dry wheat in his hand, ate that; ate a few 
leaves off of a cabbage. On the third morning, went into 
hiding, remained until the darkness came again and re- 
sumed the journey. 

On the morning of the 4th at daylight I had reached an 
old trace, pulled off my clothes and wrung them and put 
them on again as the dew was x'erj^ heavy and every morn- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 75 

ing my clothes would be wet. I went about M) or 40 j-ards 
from the old trace and thought to m3'self, if I saw any per- 
son passing that was not armed, that I would approach 
and learn where I w^ts. Hadn't been there more than 
a half hour when I heard a wagon coming. As soon as the 
wagon came in sight I saw that there was a lady driving, 
accompanied b}- a small girl and boj', I got up and moved 
into tlie road, w-alked on, and met the wagon, spoke to the 
lady. She stopped the wagon and Tasked her if she would 
be kind enough to tell me where I was, that I had got lost, 
traveled all night and didn't know wdrere I w^as. She told 
the author that he was in Stone county, Missouri, and 
asked him where he w'as from. I told her that I was from 
the state of Arkansas. She wanted to know if there was 
much excitement there. I told her that there was ; that 
men were enlisting and going into the Confederate service 
and the people were generally excited over the prospect of 
war. I asked her if there was any excitement in this coun- 
try. She replied that there was — that the. rebels a day or 
two ago had run in, on White River, and killed four Union 
men and drove out about 40 head of cattle and "that's wdiy 
I am going out here in this wagon. M3' husband belongs 
to the home guards and has come in home on a furlough 
and is afraid to knock around the place for fear he will be 
waylaid and shot by the rebels." 

. I then asked her if she would allow me to ask her a 
civil question. vShe replied that she would. I asked her 
v.'hat her politics were, and she told me that she vras a 
Union woman. I told her, then, that I would tell her the 
truth; that the rebels had had me prisoner and that I had 
made my escape from them and had been traveling only in 
the night time; that this was the fourth morning since I 
had made my escape, and I asked her how far it was to the 
house ; that she w^as the first person I had spoken to since 



76 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

I had made m}" escape. She said it was about 350 yards 
around the point, to go on down to the house, and as soon 
as she got some light wood she would be back. I went to 
the house, halloed at the fence, a man came to the door 
and invited me in. I walked in, and at orce I began to 
look for arms, and to m}- great delight I saw a Springfield 
musket h'ing in the gun rack, with a cartridge box with 
the letters U. S. on it. O! the thrill of joy that passed 
through m}- mind. I had often heard the old adage quoted, 
that "a friend in need is a friend indeed," but had never 
before realized its full meaning. In a short time the lad3- 
returned. She went to work cooking, soon had me some- 
thing to eat, but I had almost lost m}- appetite, having 
fasted so long. 

After I ate something and while she was preparing 
provisions to carry with me the man told me there was 
but one place that we could cross White river without 
being placed in great danger of being captured by the 
•rebels, for they were patroling up and down the river 
every da}-. I told him I never had attempted to travel 
a foot in da^iight since I had made 013- escape. He told 
me he thought if we could get safely across the river, he 
knew of an old trace that led across the mountains 
and intersected Taney county and as soon as we reached 
that settlement the}- all belonged to home guards and a 
man would be in no danger in making himself known. 

The woman baked enough biscuit and tied up bacon 
and red onions with them, the author thought, to have 
lasted a hungn,- man three daj-s, for him to carry with 
him and we at once, after taking leave of the good 
woman followed bj- her best wishes that I would get 
through to the Federal lines safely, started for White river, 
about two miles distant. Just before reaching the river 
he left the author standing in the road, went into the 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS / / 

house near by and soon came out with two other men in 
company with him. On reaching the river where there 
was a canoe tied to the bank they stepped aside by them- 
selves, held a short consultation : then all got into the canoe, 
carried me across the river, piloted me across the river 
bottom to where the old trace left the bottom ; there we 
separated, they hoping that I would get through to the 
Federal lines safely. They didn't think there was any 
danger in traveling in daylight, because there wasn't a 
single settlement for the entire distance of 25 miles. . 

The author traveled on until dark had overtaken him. 
The moon gave no light until the after part of the night. 
The author laid down b^- the side of the road, took a nap, 
after the moon came up proceded on his journey' and in 
about two miles came to a house. Hallooing at the gate, a 
lady came to the door and said: "Come in.'' They ap- 
peared to have a ver^- savage dog. I remarked to the 
lady that I believed the dog would bite me and noticed at 
the same time that she stood off to one side of the door. 
She remarked: "Go in: that dog will not bite you." 
As I stepped into the door I was confronted by a man 
standing in the middle of the floor in his night clothes 
with his old Springfield musket cocked and presented and 
he called out. "Halt!" The author halted, of course, and 
the next remark was, 'Who are you and where is the bal- 
ance of 5- our crowd?'" The author replied : "There is no 
balance of them and there is not much of myself left. The 
Confederates have had me prisoner and I have made my 
escape from them and I am now tr\-ing to reach Spring- 
field, Missouri." 

The man ordered his wife to strike a light, and after 
viewing the author critically, placed his Springfield musket 
near the bed and invited the author to take a seat, while 
he dressed himself. Being not more than two hours until 



78 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

daj^ight, his wife asked me to go to bed and rest. I told 
her that I wasn't fit to lie in bed; that I had lain on the 
ground like a hog ever since I had been arrested. She 
said that it didnt' matter how dirty a Union man was, he 
was welcome to sleep in her bed, and to lie down and she 
would proceed at once to get breakfast ; that there were 
some refugee wagons, about two miles distant, making their 
way to Springfield, and that she would have me up in time 
to reach them. Accordingly, after eating breakfast before 
daylight, and starting with the purpose to reach the wagons 
before they broke camp, the man remarked to the author. 
"My captain lives just this side of where the wagons are 
camped and I know he would love to see you and learn about 
the movements of the rebels." 

When we got to the house, he hallooed and the captain 
came out, asked the author his name, where he lived and 
when he was taken prisoner. The author gave him his 
name and place of residence, and on learning that he was 
from Howell county, asked him if he was acquainted with 
a man by the name of Washington Galloway. The author 
informed him that he was well acquainted with him. He 
inquired as to which side he was on, the Confederate or 
Union. The author informed him that he was on the rebel 
side and was a captain commanding one of the rebel com- 
panies; that I saw him and had had a conversation with 
him on the evening before I made my escape. He said, 
"He is an own brother of mine. My nanie is Jesse Gallo- 
way;" and the tears ran from his eyes like a whipped 
child. He said, "Get down; you are not in a condition to 
travel any further at the present time." He gave me a 
change of clothing and had my clothes washed and sent me 
through to Springfield by one of his men on horseback. 

About three weeks after I left him the rebels slipped 
up near his house, lay in ambush, and when he came out 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 79 

into the yard they shot him to death while he was hokling 
an innocent child in his arms. 

Arrives at Springfield. 

On reaching Springfield, I was conducted directly to 
the head quarters of Gen. Lyon, gave him all the informa- 
tion in my possession and told him I had been entirely 
stripped, had no means with me for support and I would 
like to join the army. He remarked to me, "I don't want 
you to join the army; we intend to move south next 
spring and j'ou are one of the men that wuU be in great de- 
mand. We have a position for you and the Government 
will pay 3"ou good wages." 

A short time after I arrived I met a man by the name 
of Percy, a lawyer, who resided at West Plains, a bitter 
rebel, who was in there as a spy. I was alone and there 
were very few persons that I was acquainted with living in 
Springfield. Percy had been posing as a Union man and 
offered that if I would go with him, he would carry 
me safely through home ; tried to get me to agree to go out- 
side the lines with him after dark, but knowing that he 
was a bitter rebel and had been taking an active part in 
the rebel movement I discarded him as quick as passible. 
In a day or two Benjamin Alsup, who resided on Hutton 
Valley, Howell county, happened to meet him in town, 
and he being acquainted in and about Springfield, had him 
arrested at once. A man by the name of Moore, who 
was a strong Union man, lived about two miles from 
Springfield on the Wilson creek road took me home with 
him for the purpose of resting up. He was the owner of a 
fine dapple gray gelding four years old. He made Gen. 
Lyon a present of him. About five days before the Wilson 
Creek battle it was reported that the Rebels were on Cane 
creek, west of Springfield, in considerable force. Gen. 



80 HIBTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Lyoii moved out with a considerable force, riding the same 
horse, but on seeing the federal forces approaching they 
retreated. On the 8th da}^ of August the rebels appeared 
in large force, being commanded by Gen. Price and Gen. 
McCullough. 

General Lyon Killed at Wilson Creek. 

Gen. Lyon sent out scouts with glasses for the pur- 
pose, it possible, of ascertaining their number. The reb- 
els had gone into camp about ten miles from Springfield, 
with the avowed purpose of attacking Gen. Lyon the next 
day at Springfield, and as the scouts were not able with 
their glasses to see the largest force of rebels, which was 
encamped around a point out of sight, reported as to 
w^hat they thought the number was. Lyon and Siegel 
came to the conclusion that by strategy they could easil}^ 
whip them, so on the morning of the 10th, about midnight, 
they broke camp at Springfield, taking all of their available 
men. The morning being verj^ foggy and misty, they eas- 
ily surrounded the pickets and took them prisoners without 
the firing of a gun, then drew up and fired the artillery 
into them before they knew they were there. 

So the memorable fight known as the battle of Wilson 
Creek was begun. Gen. L^^on rode the horse above re- 
ferred to at the time he fell on the battlefield. Both the 
Confederate and Union side were founding all their future 
hopes upon the result of that battle, as to settling the ques- 
tion in Missouri. The author heard the artillery all day. 
Late in the evening word came to the Union men that Gen. 
Lyon had been killed and that the Federal army was re- 
treating in the direction of Rolla, Missouri, and that all the 
Union men and the home guard would fall in and meet 
them at once. O! the scene that followed. Men would 
hurriedly ride around, meet their wives and children, tell 



AXD XORTEERX ARKANSAS 81 

tiem Ihat the battle was lost and they -were then retreating 
and they had only time to come arotmd and bid them good- 
b^-e. and to do the best the3' could; that they didn't know 
that they would ever be permitted to see them again. We 
could hear the Tsife and children crying and sending up 
the most pitiful petitions to God to have mercy. 

Everything on the Union side appeared to be dark, 
although it was a drawn battle and the rebels commenced 
retreating at the same time, and retreated aT'Out t^-enty- 
five miles west, but on learning that the Federal troops 
were retreating. the3- faced about, taking possession of the 
battle-ground and all of the southern and western portion of 
the state; and then the rebels, being encouraged by Jiie 
late victory, determined to rid the co-untn* of all Union 
men at once. 

About that time about 350 men mostly from Oregon 
county commanded b^- two very prominent men, made a 
scout into Ozark county, Missouri. On reaching the North 
fork of White river they went into camp at what was known 
as Jesse James' mill. The owner, a man of about 55 or 60 
5" ears of age. as good a msn as resided :n Ozark coun- 
ty, was charged with grinding grain for Union men and their 
families ; at the time he. and a man b^- the name of Brown, 
were cutting sawlogs about two miles from home in the 
piner\'. The}- went out and arrested them, arrested an old 
man by thename of RusselJ and several others, carried them 
to a man's house, who was a Union man, and had fled to 
prevent arrest. The}- took Brown and James about 500 
yards from the house, procured a rope, hunted a long limb 
of a tree, rolled a big rock up to the first rope where it was 
tied to the limb, placed the noose around James" neck, 
stood him on the rock, rolled the rock from under him and 
left him swingixig, rolled the rock to the next rope, stood 
Brown on it, placed the noose around his neck, rolled the 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 83 

rock out and left Brown swinging in the air, went to the 
third rope, placed Russell on the rock, and just as the^- 
aimed to adjust the noose, word came that the home guards 
and Federals were right upon them in considerable force. 
Thej^ fled, leaving Russell standing upon the rock and both 
Brown and James dangling in the air. 

Their Wives and Other Women Bury Them. 

Every Union man now having fled in fear of his life, 
the next day the wives of Brown and James, with the help 
of a few other women, buried them as best they could. 
They dug graves underneath the swinging bodies, laid bed 
clothing in the graves and cut them loose. The bodies fell 
into the cofiinless graves and the earth was replac- 
ed. So the author is satisfied that the bones of these men 
still remain in the loneh^ earth underneath where they met 
their untimeh' death with no charge against them except 
that the}^ had been feeding Union men, with no one to bury 
them but their wives and a few other women who aided. 

Some of the men who were in the scout and present 
when the hanging was done are still living in the counties 
of Howell and Oregon. 

A General Jackson Soldier Shot Down. 

A short time after this hanging there was a man by the 
name of Rhodes, who resided on the head of Bennett's 
Bayou in Howell countj'. He was about eight}- j'ears of age 
and had been a soldier under General Jackson. His head 
was perfectly white and he was very feeble. When he 
heard of the hanging of Brown and James he said openly 
that there was no civil war in that, and that the men who 
did it were guilty of murder. 

Some two weeks from the date of the hanging of Brown 
and James, about twenty -five men, hearing of what he 
had said, organized themselves and commanded by Dr. 



84 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Nunly and William Sapp, proceeded to the house of 
Rhodes, where he and his aged wife resided alone, called 
him out and told him they wanted him to go with them. 
His aged wife came out, and being acquainted with a part 
of the men, and knowing that they had participated in the 
hanging and shooting of a number of Union men, talked 
with them and asked: "You are not going to hurt my old 
man?" They said: "We just want him to go a piece 
with us over here." Ordering the old man to come along, 
they went over to a point about one quarter from the house 
and informed him of what he had said. There they shot 
him, cut his ears off and his heart out. Dr. Nunly re- 
marked that he was going to take the heart home with 
him, pickle it and keep it so people could see how a black 
republican's heart looked. 

They left him lying on the ground, proceeded directly 
to Joseph Spears' , who resided about six miles west of town 
on the Yellville road, declaring that they were going to treat 
him the same way. They reached his house about two hours 
in the night, all full of whiskey. When they arrived there 
Spears was sick in bed. The}^ dismounted, came in, or- 
dered their suppers and their horses fed. Spears at that 
time owned a negro man, and he ordered him to put up the 
horses and feed them, and his wife to get them supper. 
After supper, they concluded to remain until morning. 
During the night they became' sober, and concluded, since 
Spears owned a "nigger," that it could not be possible 
that he was a Union man, and the reports that they had 
heard that he was a Union man might be untrue, and they 
would let him alone until the}' could investigate further. 

In the meantime, Rhodes not having returned home, 
and not a single Union man left in the country that Mrs. 
Rhodes could get to look after him, and having heard 
when they reached Joseph Spears' that the old man was 



86 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

not with them, although very feeble, she still continued the 
search; on the second day, about fifty yards from the road 
and about a quarter of a mile from home, while she was 
looking for him, she heard hogs squealing and grunting as 
though they were eating something. See proceeded to the 
place and found the hogs were just about to commence eat- 
ing the remains of her husband. The Union men having 
fled, she notified some of the neighbors, and the women 
came in and helped dress the body and buried him the best 
they could ; and neither at the taking down or burial of 
Brown and James and the burial of the old man Rhodes did 
a single rebel put in an appearance. 

There never was a man arrested by the Confederate 
authorities, or a single word of condemnation uttered, but 
as far as could be heard there was general approval. It was 
said that the means used were desperate, but that was the 
only way to get rid of the men and strike terror to them so 
they could neither give aid nor countenance to the lop- 
eared Dutch. 

Benjamin Alsup Taken to Little Rock. 

In a few days following they proceeded to arrest Ben- 
jamin Alsup, residing in Hutton Valley, who was a strong 
Union man, took him to Little Rock, placed him in the 
state penitentiary, and kept him there until after lyittle 
Rock fell into the hands of the Federals, when they ex- 
changed him with other prisoners. While they had him in 
prison they worked him in a bark mill by the side of an 
old mule, with a strap around his breast and two leather 
hand holds. He pulled so much in the mill that his little 
finger was calloused and he almost entirly lost the use of it. 

After they had hung, shot, captured and driven 
from the country all of the Union men, they called a public 
meeting for the purpose of taking into consideration what 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 87 

should be done with the families of the Union men, which 
meeting had a number of preachers in it. After discussing 
the premises, they arrived at the conclusion that if they 
let the families of the Union men, who had escaped and 
gone into the Federal lines, remain, thej' would return and 
bring in the lop-eared Dutch. They didn't believe tha;t 
both parties could ever live together, and as they now had 
the countr}' completeh' rid of the Union nuii, they would 
force their families to leave. They at once appointed men, 
among whom were several preachers, to go to each one of 
the Union families and notif}- them that they would not be 
allowed to remain; because if they let them stay, their men 
would be trying to come back, and they didn't believe both 
parties could live together. They stated at the same time 
that they were really sorr}- for the women and children, but 
nobod}' was to blame but their husbands and sons, who 
had cast their lot with the lop-eared Dutch. Also, as they 
had taken up arms against the Confederate states, all the 
property the\' had, both real and personal, was subject to 
confiscation and belonged to the Confederate authorities ; 
but thej- would allow them to take enough of the property 
to carr}- them inside of the lines of the lop-eared Dutch, 
where the}' supposed their men were and where the}' then 
could care for them. 

Loyal Women Driven From Their Homes. 

The}' said they might have a reasonable time to make 
preparations to leave the country, and if they didn't leave, 
they would be forced to do so, if they had to arrest them 
and carry them out. 

The wildest excitement then prevailed among the 
women and children. They had no men to transact their 
business and make preparations to leave. Little had they 
thought, while they were' chasing, arresting, hanging and 



88 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

shooting tlieir men, that the}', too, would become \-ictims 
of the rebel hatred and be forced to leave house and home, 
not knowing where their men were or whether they were 
dead or alive. All they knew of their whereabouts was, 
that those who escaped arrest had left their homes, aiming 
to reach the nearest Federal lines. 

Women were at once dispatched to reach the nearest 
Federal lines, if possible, and inform them of the Confed- 
erate order, and procure help to take them out. Their 
homes and houses were being continually raided by small 
l)ands of Confederates roaming over the country, claiming 
that they were hunting Union men, taking all classes of 
property that they might see proper to take, without any 
.restraint whatever. 

When the Union men heard that an order had been 
made requiring their families to leave, not thinking that a 
thing of that kind would ever occur, having left them with 
comiortable homes and plenty to eat, the wildest consterna- 
tion reigned amongst them. 

The Federal authorities were willing to give them aid, 
l)Ut were placed in such a condition that thej' needed every 
man in the field, and for that reason couldn't give them 
any help in getting out. The women had to speedily fit 
up as best they could, close tlieir doors and start for the 
Federal lines, leaving the most of their property in the 
hands of the rebels. The rebels proceeded at once to take 
l^ossession of and occupy most of the homes. 

The suffering that followed the women and children is 
indescribable. They had to drive their own teams, take 
care of the little ones, travel through the storms, exposed 
to it all without a man to help them, nor could they hear a 
single word of comfort spoken by husband, son or friend. 
On reaching the Federal lines, all vacant houses and places 
of shelter were soon filled, and they were known and styled 



90 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

as refugees. Many of them went into soldier huts, where 
the soldiers had wintered and covered the tops of their huts 
with earth. They had to leave home with a small amount 
of rations, and on the road the rebels would stop them and 
make them divide up the little they had started with, and 
reaching the Federal lines they would be almost destitute 
of food and many of them very scantily clothed. 

They would at once commence inquiring for their hus- 
bands and sons. Numbers of them never found them, as 
they had been captured, killed and imprisoned while 
attempting to reach the Federal lines. O! The untold 
misery that then confronted them! After they had trav- 
eled and half starved and suffered from cold and exposure, 
promising themselves that when they reached the Federal 
lines they would again meet their loved ones who could 
again care for them, they were doomed to disappointment, 
in a large number of instances. 

Those who did meet their husbands and sons were also 
disappointed ; they had either joined the service or been 
employed by the government as guides and scouts, and the 
small amount of pay they received from the government, 
wouldn't provide food and raiment for their families. They 
were compelled to still be absent from their families, 
although they were suffering greatly for all of the 
necessaries of life and for clothing and shelter. The 
women's task of caring for and looking after the famil}" and 
the little ones was just as great after the}' had reached the 
Federal lines as before. The government ordered that 
wherever aid could be given, rations should be issued to the 
families, and while the government did all it could in this 
wa3', it was not able to furnish .shelter and houses for their 
comfort. Winter came on and they underwent untold suf- 
fering; disease set in from exposure, besides the contagious 
diseases of smallpox and measles, and hundreds of them 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 91 

died for want of proper attention, while their men were in 
the lines of the service of the government. 

Here let the author speak a word in behalf of the de- 
votion and patriotism manifested by those loj-al women who 
had given their husbands and their sous to be placed upon 
the altar of the country, and sacrificed their homes and 
their firesides, had become exiles and wanderers, without 
home or shelter, had undergone untold suffering, had faced 
disease and death, had seen the little ones die, calling for 
papa, shivering with cold, suffering with hunger — all for 
the love of their country. Yet when they would see the 
Federal troops move by, with the stars and stripes un- 
furled, they would cheer the boys in blue as they would 
pass, and urge them to save the country they loved so well 
and had made so many sacrifices for and were still willing 
to suffer and wrestle with all the ills that a desperate war 
had brought upon the country, and wanted to live to once 
more be returned to their own hearthstones and be permit- 
ted to live under their own vine and fig tree, where no man 
dare molest them or make them afraid, to again enjoy all 
the sweet comforts of life. 

We revere and honor every Federal soldier who enlisted 
in the interest of his country from the Northern States, 
where thej^knew nothing about war except what they read, 
their families being left in comfortable circumstances, 
with plenty to eat and wear and friends to speak works of 
comfort to them, while their husbands and sons had gone to 
the front and were willing to sacrifice themselves on the 
alter of their country, if it became necessary. But O! the 
comparison between the sacrifices made bj- the loyal ele- 
ment in those portions of the country where they were 
completely surrounded b^' the enemy. 

Those who were willing to lay upon the alter of their 
countrv, their fathers and sons, their wives and children, 



92 HIBTORV OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

their property and their sacred honor in support of the 
jrovernment they loved so well, with no protection from 
the government; no arms, amiinitions, rations, clothing or 
pay from the government, was thought of for a moment. 
The only question that prompted, ruled and controlled them 
was their patriotism to their God and their country. When 
we come to compare the sacrifices, privations, suffering 
and services between the two classes of lo3'alists the first 
referred to, sink into insignificance. 

O ! never let us forget to honor and revere patriotism 
and sacrifices that were made by the loyal men and women 
that were surrounded in the enemy's country and continu- 
al fighting without and within. Their husbands and 
sons were shot and hung and imprisoned all over this 
country, whose bodies never were even honored 
with a burial. Orders being made by the rebels that they 
should not be buried; but yet they live and speak in 
thunder tones to the living. lyct us plead with the living 
to revere and honor the stars and stripes that were main- 
tained and supported by the blood and lives and sacrifices 
of the loyal men and women of the South. 

After the rebels had completely driven all the loyal 
element out of the country and had but one political party 
left they exclaimed, "Now the means that we have been 
forced to use are very harsh but the line has been drawn and 
all of the parties who are giving aid and comfort to the lop- 
eard Dutch are all outside of the Confederate line and we 
will never be troubled with them and the lopeared Dutch 
any more." 

The author went back in retreat with General Siegel, 
after the Wilson Creek battle. On reaching Rolla, Mis- 
souri. Siegel went into quarters for the winter. The author 
was almost worn out with exposure and traveling, and as 
General Siegel informed him that there would be no ad- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 93 

vance made south until the spring of 1862, and as his fam- 
ily had been left in comfortable circumstances, with plenty 
to eat and wear, and he, being acquainted with some men 
by the name of Cope, who lived near Jerseyville in Jersey 
county, Illinois, went to that place, remained a month, and 
being taken sick with lung fever, came very near djang. 
He told his friends where he was staying that if he died, he 
would die dissatisfied ; that he wanted to live and be able 
to move with tlie Federal command in the spring of 1862 
when it moved south. After he had partially recovered he 
learned that a Mr. Cope, who was living neighbor to 
him at the time of his arrest and capture, had moved 
into Randolph county, Illinois. He visited the fam- 
ily at once, hoping to hear from his family at home, and 
remained there about a month. His wife, among many 
others, being notified to leave, had been informed that the 
author had made his escape, reached Springfield, and had 
gone back with Siegel in his retreat to Rolla. She was 
permitted to dispose of just enough of the property, at the 
rebels' own prices, to enable her to move, the family con- 
sisting of herself and five small children. She was follow- 
ed on the road and her wagons searched for arms, and 
the rebels threatened to take her to Little Rock, Arkansas, 
but to enable her to reach Rolla, Missouri, she posed as 
the wife of a rebel who had gone into the Confederate ser- 
vice, and said she was trying to reach her father, who re- 
sided near Rolla. By making that impression, her wagons 
were not disturbed any more. On reaching Rolla, she 
went to Colonel Phelps, who was afterwards governor of 
the state, and inquired if he knew anything of the where- 
abouts of the author. . He informed her that he had no 
knowledge of his whereabouts at that time, bu.t he 
would take her name, place an advertisement of her arrival 



94 HISTORY OE SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

at Rolla, in the paper, and if he was alive it might reach 
hira. 

Every house and cabin was full, it being in the dead 
of winter, and a deep snow upon the ground, but through 
the aid and assistance of one Cyrus Newberry, who had 
escaped through the lines in Howell county, she procured 
a shelter about three miles north of Rolla, which was very 
uncomfortable ; her clothes were partially frozen on her at 
that time. In a short time the advertisement reached the 
author in Randolph county, Illinois. He at once set out 
for Rolla, Missouri, to meet his family. The house that 
she had first got into was used by her but a short time, and 
she had been forced to go into one of the huts that had 
lately been occupied by the soldiers and had been made 
vacant by their moving west to Springfield. 

On the arrival of the author, O! the horror and the 
joy that were intermingled! I was proud to once more 
meet my wife and children, but in a moment the thought 
would pass through my mind, "I left you in a comfortable 
home, with plenty to eat, and now to see you here in this 
'dug-out,' suffering for food and shelter! O! the war, 
the horrible war! What is it that men won't do?" I set 
out at once to procure a comfortable shelter for my fam- 
ily and to get in readiness to move south with the army. 
Gen. Curtis, then in command of the western department, 
was preparing to make a general move south. I was em- 
ployed by the government as a guide, receiving $1.50 per 
day, with rations and clothing. 

Establishing a Federal Post at West Plains. 

The army soon broke camp and moved southward. On 
arriving at West Plains, the Federal army located a post 
there. Capt. McNulty, of the First Illinois cavalry, who 
had been wounded in a battle with Gen. Mulligan, was made 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 95 

Provost Marshal. The author was at once detailed and 
placed in the Provost Marshal's office as assistant, as he was 
well acquainted with all of the people in the surrounding 
country. The Provost Marshal would order the author to 
be seated in a conspicuous place in the office, and as a gen- 
eral order had gone forth from Curtis requiring all rebels 
and rebel S3'mpathizers to come in and take the oath, and 
as hundreds of them were daily coming into the office for 
that purpose, the Provost Marshal ordered the author to 
watch every person who entered the office and whenever 
any person entered who had been taking an active part in 
committing depredations, just to put his hand upon his 
forehead and move it down over his face, and he would 
order them to the guard house for further examination, 
without any further words being said at the time. 

Many of the rebels who were taking the oath couldn't 
see how he could draw a line between the different persons; 
let some take the oath and be released at once, and others 
ordered to the guard house without a word being spoken. 
Among the persons who came in and took the oath and 
were released, was the man who was present at the time 
Capt. Forshee attempted to deliver the author to the mob, 
who asked the Captain at the time to tie the author with 
his face to a tree, and let him shoot him in the back of the 
head, to show him how he could spoil a black Republican's 
pate. 

The author remembers one incident that occurred dur- 
ing the stay at West Plains. A man named Lusk, who was 
constable of Howell township, and resided in West Plains, 
was a strong Union man at the beginning of the war ; when 
the general order was made that every man who had been 
a Union man had to join the Confederate service and show 
his colors or be hung, Lusk enlisted in the Confederate 
army and went out with McBride's command. 



96 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Three or four daj^s after the capture of the author by 
the rebels, Lusk came up to him in a braggadocio manner 
and saj'S, "You ought to have 3'our blaclc heart shot out of 
you." Lusk had taken the oath and been released before 
the author reached West Plains. The author met him in 
West Plains and remarked to him: "Hallo, Lusk! How 
are you getting along? And what are you doing here?" 
He replied that he had taken the oath ; that he was tired of 
fighting. The author asked him if he felt like he did when 
he wanted to shoot his black heart out. Lusk replied : 
"Captain, I am sorry for what I did, and Captain Emmons 
so maltreated me the other day that I could scarcely sit in 
my saddle." The author remarked to him: "I will just 
give your face three good slaps with my hand." After 
giving him three raps, the author let him pass. 

Lusk Sees Some Lopeareci Dutch. 

Soon meeting Captain Emmons, who belonged to the 
6th Missouri Cavalry, had asked him what the trouble was 
between him and Lusk- He said that while he was 
prisoner Lusk came to him with his big knife belted 
around him, and said that he was just equal to ten lopear- 
ed Dutch and he had that knife for the purpose of taking 
ten Dutch scalps before he returned home, and otherwise 
abused him for being a Union man and a friend to the 
Dutch. 

On the arrival of the troops in West Plains he inquir- 
ed of the citizens if Lusk had returned home. They in- 
formed him that he had and was residing on Spring Creek, 
about six miles from town. About half of Emmons' com- 
pan}^ were Germans. He went immediately to his com- 
pany, ordered the Orderly Sargeant to make detail of ten 
men and he wanted them all to be .Germans. He ordered 
them to be mounted and ready for a scout at once. Tak- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 97 

ing charge of them in person he proceeded to the house of 
Lusk, about six miles west of West Plains at the head of 
Spring Creek, rode up to the house and holloed. Lusk 
immediately came out into the yard and recognized Dr. 
Emmons and said "O! Doctor! Is that you? I am proud 
to see you . ' ' The Doctor said to him , I am proud to see you , 
too." The Doctor at once informed him of what he had 
said to him when he was a prisoner in regard to being 
equal to ten lopeared Dutchmen and how he had his knife 
prepared to take that number of scalps before he came 
back home, and wanted to know if he got the scalps be- 
fore he came home. Lusk replied that if he killed a single 
Dutchmen he didn't know it and that he got all of the 
fighting that he wanted, didn't want to fight any more. 

The Doctor wanted to know if he ever saw any lop- 
eard Dutch and Lusk replied that he "didn't know that he 
had." The Doctor replied, "I have selected ten of the 
smallest sized of the full stock and I want you to step over 
the fence and view them." He then ordered the scouts to 
dismount and form in line. Lusk told the Doctor he 
didn't want anything to do with them whatever. After 
they had formed a line the Doctor made him step fn front 
and view them; asked him what he thought of them. He 
said *'They are good looking men." The Doctor said to 
him, "If you didn't get the chance when you were out in 
the service to fight ten of them, and you say you didn't 
get any scalps, I have brought these ten down and intend 
that you shall fight them." Lusk pleaded with the Doctor 
that he didn't want to fight them and for God's sake not to 
let them hurt him." Emmons said to him "Why Lusk! 
you said you were equal to ten of them and intended to 
bring back ten of their scalps and there will be nothing 
now unfair about this fight. I intend to give you a fair 



9« HISTOKV OK SOnTinCKN MISSOURI 

show." lie ordei'L-d I^usk to ^et his h(;rsc and get oiilu it 
and ^ci ready to march. 

'I'here were some four- foot clapboards stacked uj) near 
Lusk's house, and Kiumons ordered six of tlie Germans to 
^ct a board apiece. They were all soon mounted and mov- 
injC toward West Plains, soon cominj.;; to a "horsen" \(>^. 
Junmons ordered them to dismount and lonii a line, plac- 
ing the men about ten paces from I^usk, then said to I.usk, 
*'Now, pre])are yourself, and if you can whip these ten lo])- 
eared Dutch I will let you go back home and give you a 
chronio." I,usk pleaded i)itifully to not let the Dutch 
abuse him. Jvnunons ordered the si.x who had the claj)- 
boards to move one pace in the rear, leaving four of the 
number to attack Lusk; he tlien ordered the four men 
to seize Lusk, take him to the "horsen" log and take 
down his clothes. Two of them were to take him by the 
liands and two by the legs and buck him tight against the 
log; if they succeeded, the six would i)roceed, one at a 
time, and strike him three licks across that part of the body 
that he generally used for sitting on. 

He then turned to Lusk, saying, "Prepare to meet 
llieni; if you are a better man than they are, down tluni 
and pile them u))." At the command of Capt. I'.mmons, 
the four men advanced on Lusk, who did not attempt to 
move, seized him ])y the arms, led him to the log, bucked 
him over it, two holding him l)y the arms and two by the 
legs, orJered the six men to advance, one at a time, strike 
three licks with "the flat side of the board, 'liiarch on a few 
l)aces and give room for'the next. 

After the performance had been compfetely carried out 
as commanded, the Captain' declared that he 'could have 
heard I/usk holloing a mile distant every time the clap- 
board hit him. 



AND sour HERS ARKANSAS 9'J 

After he had received the boardinj<, Emmons said that 
Lusk's setter was blistered where the boards had hit him, 
and that he never saw ten Germans enjoy themselves as 
much in his life. He then asked Lusk, in their presence, 
how he felt now in regard to fighting lopeared JJutch. 
Lusk declared that he had nothing against the Dutch and 
that he never would want to fjght another one as long as 
he lived, and he hoped that Dr. Emmons would not 
let them do him any more harm. He dressed himself, they 
were all mounted, formed a line, and Lusk was brought 
into West Plains and took the oath, under the promise that 
he never would fight another lop-eared Dutchman. 

Goes to Washington City, 

After the post was discontinued at West Plains, the 
author was again ordered back to Folia. The state had 
made a proposition to the P'ederal authorities that if the 
government would arm, feed and clothe the troops, it could 
place a number of regiments of state troops in the service, 
and they would be able to send some of their regular troops 
to the front. A delegation was appointed by the state to 
visit Washington City, wait upon the President and see 
what the government could do for the state. The author 
was appointed as one of the delegates, and on the night 
following the departure of the delegation for Washington 
City, a rebel scout appeared at the house where the auth- 
or's family was living and demanded the author. His wife 
replied that he was not at home, that he was one of the 
delegation that had left that morning for Washington City. 
She distinctly heard one man remark: "I expect that is 
so, for there was a delegation left this morning for Wash- 
ington City." The house wasn't more than a quarter of a 
mile from the picket posts. 



100 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

After parleying for some little time, they left the house, 
marched west about a mile, where some refugees were lo- 
cated in a house, and demanded their surrender. The house 
was full of women and children, there being also one boy 
and two men, to -wit: Peter Shriver and a man named 
Johnson. They ordered the doors opened; the inmates 
refused ; then the rebels knocked down the door, and fired 
a volley right into the house. Shriver and Johnson being 
armed, returned the fire, killed one of the rebels on the 
spot, and fleeing through the rear part of the house, made 
their escape. The rebels killed one boy and severely 
wounded a girl and young Johnson, and retreated south, 
leaving their comrade dead. 

It was learned afterwards that most of the scout 
were men from Howell county who had learned that the 
author had placed his family just outside of the Federal 
lines and had marched all the way there, with the avowed 
purpose of capturing the author and either shooting or 
hanging him. 

On arrival of the delegation at Washington City they 
organized the delegation and made Chas. D. Drake their 
spokesman. He was afterwards elected to the United 
States Senate. Soon after the arrival President Lincoln 
informed us that he would be prepared to meet the dele- 
gation in a large hall ,near the mansion, at which time and 
place he desired to be introduced to the whole delegation. 
When the delegation entered the hall the Presidentand 
his secretary were seated together. 

The Delegration Meets the President. 

The delegation entered the hall in a single file. Chas. 
D. Drake approached the President and when within a few 
feet of|the President and secretary, they arose to their 
feet and as the delegation marched by each one was intro - 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 101 

duced to them. Afterwards they were seated, and the 
petition and address of the people of the State of Mis- 
souri was delivered in an audible voice by Chas. D. 
Drake. In the opening of the address we addressed the 
President and called ourselves his friends. 

As soon as the address was read the President rose to 
his feet and proceeded to deliver an address to the delega- 
tion and the author never will forget the impression that 
was made upon his mind in a part of that address. He 
said: "You should not address me as your friend; I am 
the President of the whole people and nation and while 
I am President, I expect to try to enforce the law against 
all violators of law and in the interest of the whole people 
of the nation; but if I have any friends in Missouri I sus- 
pect you men compose a part of them. I listened to your 
petition and offers, which make me proud for the patriot- 
ism that you manifest, in offering your services to your 
country in the darkest hour of her peril and I would be 
glad if the government was able to grant every request 
that you have made. The government at the present 
time is not in a condition to furnish clothing and com- 
missaries for the number of men that you propose to put 
in the field, but the government will furnish all the arms 
that they can possibly spare, amunitions and commissaries 
and authorize the state to organize and put in the field any 
number of state troops, not to exceed sixty regiments. 
He said he would do all in his power to feed them but in 
tl'ic present condition of the government the state would 
have to pay them. 

The delegation returned and informed the state of 
what promises the government had made and at once went 
to organizing and putting state troops into the £cld. The 
author was commissioned as lieutenant of Company H. and 
the regiment was ordered into active service for the period 



102 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

of sixty days. At the expiration of the term of service, the 
govermneiit ordered that a ooiupaiiy of scouts be organiz- 
ed and that the author be made Captain of the comiiany, 
to receive first lieutenant's pay and be clothed and fed by 
the goverment. be ordered on duty at once and placed 
inider the direct command of Captain Muri)hy, who was 
then commanding the jnist at Houston. 

The company scarcely saw an idle day, it was kept 
CDntiiuiously scouting and fighting. The counties of 
Texas, Dent, Wright, Crawford, LaClede and Phelps, 
outside of the post, being completelj' under the 
control of the rebels. Not a single Union nmn nor his 
family could remain at home outside of the post. 

Incidents of 1863. 

In the fall of 1863, Colonel lyivingston, who was act-, 
ing in the capacity of Brigadier General, was ordered to. 
proceed to Batesville, Arkansas, and tliere erect a post. 
The author was transferred, by order of the government, 
and made chief of scouts receiving Captain's pay and or- 
dered to move with the command of Colonel lyivingston 
and be under his command and control until further 
orders. On or about December 15, 1863, Colonel Living- 
ston, who was Colonel of the 1st Nebraska regiment and 
the 11th Missouri Cavalry regiment, broke camp at Rolla, 
and marched in the direction of Batesville, Arkansas. 
Colonel Livingston, on leaving Rolla. issued a general 
order and sent the same in all directions, that all rebels, 
or "bushwhackers," who were captured wearing Federal 
uniform, would be courtmartialed and shot; or all per- 
sons who were captured in robbing or plundering houses 
would be court-martialed and shot. 

On our arrival at West Plains the advance of the com- 
mand captured three Confederates dressed in Federal uni- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 103 

forms, near what was known as the Johnson farm. One of 
them broke from custody and escaped ; the other two were 
court-martialed and shot, while the command was camped 
at West Plains. After those men were shot, some of the 
Confederates, dressed in Federal uniforms, came inside the 
Federal lines, while in camp at West Plains, just after dark, 
and took nine black cavalry horses from the line and made 
their escape. The soldiers saw them take the horses, but 
thought it was their own men taking them to water. 

The command, breaking camp at West Plains, marched 
in the direction of Batesville, passed through Salem, Ark., 
and on Big Strawberry encountered the rebels and had quite 
an engagement. The weather was quite cold. I remem-' 
ber that after the fighting ceased, some of the soldier's had 
been fighting with their revolvers, and their hands had be- 
come so ?jenumbed that the}- had lost the use of their fing- 
ers, and couldn't return their revolvers to their scabbard?, 
and the revolvers had to be taken from their hands ; the 
hands of some of them were badl}' frost-bitten. 

The command again renewed its march for Batesville. 
Small bands of bushwhackers and rebels kept up a contin- 
uous fire ever\' day on the advance, and committed depre- 
dations b\' pillaging; claiming the}' were Federal forces, 
most of them being dressed in Federal uniforms. The pil- 
laging grew so annoying that Col. Livingston, just before 
breaking camp, divided the advance into two columns, 
marching from a mile to two and a half miles apart. Late 
in the afternoon, one wing came onto a number of those ir- 
regular Confederates, or bushwhackers, robbing the house 
of a Union woman w'hose husband was in the Federal arm5^ 
Nearly all of them were dressed in Federal uniforms, claim- 
ing to the woman to be Federal soldiers. They had all 
dismounted and gone into the house to plunder it, except 
their captain, Elliott, whom they had left on guard. The 



104 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

road came around in a short bend and concealed the ap- 
proach of the Federals until they were within a hundred 
}'ards of the house. There was a large gate in front of the 
house. The woman was standing in the yard about ten 
steps from the gate. She saw the troops coming before 
they were discovered by the captain, and supposed them 
to be of the same command. They were all cavalry. As 
soon as they saw the captain, they put spurs to their 
horses, and with revolvers in hand, charged upon them. 
The captain gave the alarm, and fled as rapidly as possible 
on horseback, a part of the Federals in hot pursuit after 
him. 

Every avenue of escape was cut off from those who 
were in the house, and they were forced to retreat through 
a ten -acre open field, before they could reach the timber. 
The woman of the house, seeing them flee, knew at once 
that they didn't belong to the same command. While the 
Federals were approaching the gate at full speed, she ran 
to it and threw it open, so that they would not be checked 
in their pursuit. They overtook them about two-thirds of 
the way across the field, as the rebels were cut off from 
their horses and were on foot. Three of the rebels were 
killed, and three taken prisoners. They had everything in 
their possession — bed clothing, domestic, knives and forks, 
and even axes, that they had been taking from Confederates 
as well as from Unionists ; also a number of women's dresses. 
All of the dresses were given to the woman whose house they 
were robbing at the time of their capture. The soldiers 
had a fine time after they reached camp, by turning the 
domestic into new towels. 

Just after supper, the author was notified to appear at 
the provost marshal's office, to see whether or not he could 
identify the prisoners. On his appearing and entering into 
conversation with the prisoners and inquiring their names. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 105 

one claimed to be named Smith, another Taylor and the 
other Johnson. One of them lisped a little when talking. 
The author soon recognized one of them and said to him : 
"Your name is not Smith. You had just as well give your 
proper name, for I know you." The Provost Marshal 
asked him if he knew the author. He hesitated to answer. 
On the Provost Marshal urging him to answer, he said: 
"I ought to know him, as he was one of my near neighbors 
when the war commenced. My name is Calvin Hawkins." 
The author replied, "That is correct," and turning to the 
other prisoner for a second look, recognized him. He re- 
marked, "Taylor is not your proper name." The Provost 
Mashal asked him if he knew the author. He hesitatingly 
replied that he did. His proper name was then demanded, 
which he gave as Jacob Bridges. The other was a boy 
named Hankins, 13 years of age. 

Court NJartlaled and Shot. 

The Provost Marshal asked them if they had ever read 
or heard of the general order that had been issued by Col. 
Livingston. They replied that they had. He said to 
them: "You have violated the order in every particular; 
you are wearing Federal uniforms, and have been caught 
robbing and pillaging citizens' houses. Tonight your cases 
will be submitted to a court martial, except the boy's." He 
then ordered the author to take them to a room and inform 
them that they would certainly be convicted by the court 
martial, and the only way they could escape death would 
be to give the rendezvous and names of all irregular troops 
in their knowledge, and agree to pilot a scout to the differ- 
ent places of resort. 

The author informed them of what the Provost Mar- 
shal had said, and further informed them that Col. Living- 
ston, then acting in the capacity of Brigadier General, 



106 



IlIST'tl'V <)!■ SOI"l"MI',l<N MISSOIIKI 



woiiM li:i\c 111'- "Illy power to < (,ii)imii1<- llicii M-nlciices, 
aftc'i llicy vvcic ( ()iivi( t<<l. 'iMiry idiiscd to ^'.ivc :uiy iii- 
fonuiitioii lliiil vvoiiM ;ii(l tin- ;iii1 lioi it ics in c'lptnriiiK the 
(lill.iciit iiic;',iil;ii loviii;-. Iciiids. 'I'Ii<- ;iii11ioi hiidi- tlicm 
^ood l.\r, lold lliciii Ik- w;is Sony loi Hkiii, tlialllicy were- 
ill :i li:id coiMlition, Liit liijcj hrollj'.lit il iipoiil licmscd VCS liiul 
(•:i(|i of llxiii li:id l»i-||(i |)ic|):iir lor di;itli, lor tlx^y wcif 
CXTliMii lo lie coiill lii;irli;d<d tli;it iii;dit. llcllicii left the 
pi isoiici'., Ilic iMi;iid Inkiii;-. cli.'ii ;'.<• ol IIk'Im. TIm- < oil 1 1 - 
lli:iill:d i()ii\cii<-d lli:il iiij'.lit; (IkiIKCS Jllld Spfci (ic'il ioilS 
wc'ic i)iflcrifd hclorc the JikIki' Advocate of violaliiiu I'ol'i 
orders. They wiT<- aeeordiiiKly coiivietcd, and the next 
iiioriiiiie,, lielore We Id'oke caiiip, llu- author saw the d'-l;iil 
tiial li;i<l liceii stdeetcd to execute them; saw the jwis 
oiieis iiiid'a )Mi;ii(l iiiovliiK out to tile i)lace selected (or the 
exeeiilioii, iieaid llie dischaij.'C' ol the j'iiir>, and soon 
Ic-anied that llu->' holli hail been shot. Somewhere on the 
liead of r.ij^ Sliawheiiy, in l/.aid eoiiiity, the hoy's mother 
came to lis, and he was liirned over to her. 

The command broke camp and proceeded on tlie way 
towards Hatesville, will) more or lesii; skirmishiiij; with tlie 
rebels e\'ery da\' ; and on IheZSth ol l)e(cmber, \y•(>^, we 
liad come to within about three miles of JJalesville, Inde- 
pendence county, the rebels in considerable force then 
1)ein^ in possi-ssion ol the city. 'I'liey li;id a slioni', ])iekt4 
about a (juarter of a mile from tin- main city, leading rijj;ht 
down Poke bayou. Another road turned to the rij.;hl and 
entered tlu' lower part ol tlu- city. The conim;inder halted 
and threw out a eonsitlerable force in advance. The author 
was i)laced ri^ht in the front of the adx'ance, with orders to 
cliar^;e the pi( ki'ts, and on their retre.it, to charge the en- 
emy, and il they found them in loo stronj.; a force to lall 
back on the main command. 



The rel>el la4ie« haxi procure^! a Jarg<; hall in the dty, 
fcituated ujx^ IlJgb street, leading wefel through the city. 
They vs^ere all dre5i»ed jn gray, and ha4 any amount oi egg 
n'>g and 'Aher (h-Mcvni^ drink** in the hall and all through 
the public parts of the city. A large nnm\t^ <A the O^n- 
ikA(cr^X^ f^'^Jdiers were in the h-all dancing, a nmnht^ of 
them }j^lon'4'm'4 Uf OA. Freeman' 8 command. On r<'2,<>,nn% 
the ret>el pi<jket«», they lire^l, and the command'rr '^/rdc-red a 
charge with revolver an<i ftat>er, and we followed <; Jo>><r up^yjj 
their heels On reaching the city, the firijag Wame j/ro- 
misciaous. The rel>el?^ retreated vy»jth, a unm)M::t oi them 
retreating in the direction of White river, and ^wang the 
river with their horw:^, while m^any of tljem a^>andoned 
their hor^s and swam the ri\'<rr. One part of the reV;! 
command ' •■ '■ "he right, thinking that it was a Federal 
ftOf^ut, an ^:/i to retr<;rat ijp^>n the lower r<>ad. 'H^e 

Federals saw them o/ming, and knew fr^>m their actions 
that they were retreating. They %" - ^ - • "vo lines 

in fr^ynt of the command, <>ne ^>n e;, , ;d. lie- 

f^>re the re^x-ls found <^/i3t their real con<i}lion they were 
completely inV^ the trap, and they surrendered yaiWumX 
the firing of a gun . 

Ho// Received by the Bate^ville Ladies. 

After the fi%\i\m% had sul/sided, the author,, with a 
part of the <:f/mman(i, rode up If igh street to the hall where 
they had just been dancing, 'th^tc must hjave been as 
majjy as two hundred and fifty ^/r three hundred ].adies in 
the hall and on the roof. Some of the bf>y» dismounted , 
w^rnt up into the hall and drank some of their eggnog, 
although there were strict orders against it- 

Th« main command reached the east end of High 
street, marching in a solid column of two. with a brass band 
and drums and fifes 7/<.y:ng, and striking up the tune of 



108 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

"Yankee Doodle," they came marching down High street, 
in the direction of the hall. The women began to use the 
strongest epithets possible in their vocabulary against the 
Union soldiers, calling them "nigger lovers," "lopeared 
Dutch," "thieves" and "murderers." The author spoke 
to them saying, "You are mistaken. These men are gen- 
tlemen, sent here by the government to establish a military 
post, and if you treat them nicely you will receive the same 
kind of treatment." 

About this time the front of the command had moved 
up to the hall. At once a number of the ladies began to 
make mouths at them and spit over the banisters toward 
them, calling them vile names. The soldiers then began 
to hallo at the top of their voices: "O, yonder is my 
Dixie girl, the one that I marched away from the north to 
greet." "God bless their little souls, ain't they sweet; 
sugar wouldn't melt in their mouths." "I am going to get 
my bandbox and cage up one of the sweet little morsels and 
take her home for a pet." 

The voices of the soldiers completely drowned the 
hearing of anything the women were saying. In a little 
while the women hushed. As the column was passing by, 
one of the women remarked, "I believe that gentleman 
gave us good advice ; I think we had better stop our abuse 
and we will be treated better." We marched down to the 
w-est end of High street, marched across to the next main 
street, then the head of the column turned east again up 
Main street, and striking up the tune of "Hail, Columbia, 
My Happy Land," marched up to the east end of Main 
street, and ordered a guard placed around the whole town, 
to prevent the escape of the rebel soldiers that were con- 
cealed in the town. The author never saw as much con- 
fusion as there was there, for a short time, among the citi- 
zens, especially the women. Some were laughing, some 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 109 

were abusing the soldiers, some crying, and some cursing. 

After things had quieted down the soldiers went into 
camp. Colonel Livingston began to hunt suitable build- 
ings for his head quarters and for an office for the Provost 
Marshall and Judge Advocate. It became a fixed fact 
with the citizens of the city that the Federals were going 
to locate a permanent post at that place. 

While they were in pursuit of the rebels the author 
remembered an incident that attracted his attention. 
There were four or five negro men standing upon the street 
corner and one of the officers holloed out to the negroes, 
"Which way did the rebels go?" On one corner of the 
street there was a bunch of rebel citizens standing and as 
soon as the corner was turned and they were out of sight 
of the rebel citiz2ns they answered the officer, "Massa, 
we don't know which way the rebels went; one of them 
dodged around the corner in an instant, and in alow tone 
of voice, and with a motion of his hand, said, "Massa dey 
went right dat way," almost in an instant came back 
around the corner and said in hearing of the rebel citizens 
"Massa, I declare I don't know the way dem rebels went." 

The next morning Livingston issued a general order 
for all persons who claimed protection from the Federal 
army to come in and report and take the oath. The author 
remembers an incident that occurred on the evening of the 
fight. There had been two or three men killed just across 
the brige and they placed a guard there with orders to let 
no person cross it without a pass. Shortly after dark 
a young lady who had secreted around her waist under 
her clothes, two pistols, a belt and scabbard which be- 
longed to a Confederate soldier, j«st after dark came to 
the bridge and wanted to cross. The sargeant of the guard 
ask her if she had a pass, to which she replied that she 
had not. He informed her that he cou,ld ;not let her go 



110 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

over. Among the guards was an Irshman and the young 
lady remarked to the sargeant that "it was very hard" 
that she "had a relative that was killed just across the 
bridge and she wanted to go over and see him and that a 
woman couldn't do any harm and they might let her go 
over without a pass." 

The Irshman sprang to his feet and remarked "Be 
Jasus, women can do a divil of a sight of harm, can con- 
vey more information, can carry more intelligence through 
the lines to the rebels than twenty men and there are so 
many of our officers, if she happens to be good looking, 
would let her pass through. The sargeant believing 
that she was a near relative of one of the men that was 
killed a short distance from the bridge, let her pass over, 
and that night she delivered the pistols to the Confederate 
soldiers. She afterwards admitted this when she was ar- 
rested for refusing to take the oath. .^/..v,,-.: ; 

If You Will Grease and Butter Him. ^^ 

She declared that she "wouldn't swallow old Lincoln." 
and the com nanier ordered all parsons who refused to take 
the oath, either men or women, arrested and sent to 
Ivittle Rock. . When she found that she had to take the 
oath or go to Little Rock, she said to them that "if they 
would grease and butter the oath she would try to swallow 
it." Afterwards she became v^ery intimate with one of the 
young Federals, married him and when the command 
broke up left the post, left the country and went with him. 

The- author remained there all that winter, being in 
active service almost every day, capturing some of the 
worst men that there were in the country. In a short 
time after the post was located the west side of the river 
was all in the control of the rebels. The rebels began to 
boast and brag- that those Northern Yankees could stay 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 111 

around the open field and around cities but whenever they 
crossed the river they would show them just how rebel 
bullets would fly. Colonel Freeman's head quarters were 
near the head of Silamore creek, they would get on the 
mountains, on each side (as the Yankees knew nothing 
about mountains) and roll rocks down on them and what 
they didn't kill with rocks and bullets would be glad to 
get back across the river to Batesville. 

There were no ferry boats on the river, they had all 
been sunk or run out by the rebels. 

The weather was very cold. White river froze over 
solid. The old residents there said it was the first time 
they ever knew of the river freezing over solid. The ice 
was so thick that it would hold the weight of horses and 
wagons. Col. Livingston ordered himber hauled and laid 
the planks flat on the ice. He then sent some men who 
resided in Nebraska when at home, to make a test. They 
reported that the ice was safe for a command to pass over. 
The comniander at once organized a force, crossed the 
river on the ice, and took.up, the. line of-itnarch fpr the pur- 
pose^ of attacking Freeman's . forces, whiCjli, were distant 
about ten or twelve miles?... As soon as the rebel forces 
found that they were mpyitig. up Silamore creek in the di- 
rection of Freenian's headquarters, they placed men on the 
hills on each side of the creek, and as soon as the Federal 
forces. came within reach, they opened fire, and commenced 
rolling stones. The commander halted, deployed skirmish- 
ers, ordered them to fall back, march on foot and flank the 
rebels^ Mfhile they would continue the march up the. creek 
and attract their attention until they would have them com- 
pletely flaiiked, .and then close in on them. Whilethe 
main force ^moved up the creek slowly, under almost con- 
tinuous fire, .all at once a general fire opened up. on both 
sides of the hills. I never before saw rebels running, and 



112 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

dodging in all directions, trying to make their escape, as 
they did then. A number of them were killed and wound- 
ed, and the others taken prisoners. The remainder got 
down from the hills, wiser men, and made a hasty retreat 
up the creek. Upon the Federal column reaching the 
headquarters of Freeman, it was so unexpected that he had 
to retreat, leaving all his camp equipage, his trunk and 
clothing, and about $5,000 in Confederate money. 

They retreated in an almost northerly direction. Our 
force returned to Batesville. The scouts, with a small 
force of troops, were sent up White river to find where the 
line of march of the rebels was. They found that they had 
crossed White river near the mouth of the north fork and 
were moving in the direction of Pocahontas. There had 
been two Federal companies detailed and sent out north- 
east in the direction of Spring river. Freeman's command 
surrounded them and made prisoners of one of the compa- 
nies. The other company, commanded by Capt. Majors, 
made a charge on the lines and cut their way through. 

Reinforcements were at once dispatched in the direction 
of the moving columns of rebels. In the meantime, the 
rebels had reached Pocahontas, on Black river, and had 
effected a crossing onto the east side of Black river, except 
the rear guard, which were in their boat about midway of 
the river, when the Federal forces reached the west side of 
the river. They fired on the parties in the boat, wounding 
some of them, but they succeeded in reaching the bank, 
and turned their boat loose. A strong line of rebels was 
drawn up on the eait bank of Black river, and opened fire 
on the Federal forces on the west side. After considerable 
firing, both sides ceased. The rebels appeared to move 
east; the Federal forces again countermarched and re- 
turned to Batesville. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 113 

The country on the west side of White river was still 
under the control of a strong force of rebels commanded by 
Col. Weatherford and three or four other Confederate com- 
manders. About three weeks after their return, an order 
was issued for two wagon trains with six nuile teams and a 
detail of two companies, to escort it. The train moved 
out, for the purpose of getting corn and other forage, about 
fifteen miles distant on White river. After tliey had ar- 
rived at their destination and were loading their wagons, a 
large force of rebels surrounded them, charged on them, 
and made prisoners of about half of the escort. The Fed- 
eral captain, who belonged to one of the lltli Missouri 
companies, surrendered, handed his pistol, about half 
shot out, to a rebel soldier, who turned his own pistol 
on him and shot him dead. The scouts who escaped cap- 
ture, retreated with all possible haste to Batesville. 

In the meantime, the rebel forces cut the wagons 
down, piled them in heaps and set them on fire; while the 
mules, with all their gear and breeching on were put into 
White river and swam across to the other side. . As soon 
as the news reached headquarters, a force was speedily 
organized, and started on a forced march. Upon reaching 
the scene of action the rebels v.'ere all safel}^ across on 
the other side of the river, harness and wagons were just 
about completel}^ burned up. No chance of any boats to 
cross the river and the ri\-er being full, they counter- 
marched and returned to Batesville again. 

The whole winter was taken up in scouting and 
fighting small bands of rebels. Sometime in the latter 
part of the V\Mnter the commissaries and forage were be- 
coming scarce and the nearest Federal post down White 
river was at Duvall's bluff. Tlie commander called on 
the author, who was Captain of scouts, for a detail of two 
men who could procure a canoe and tr}^, if possible, to 



114 HISTORY OF vSOUTHERN MISSOURI 

reach Duvall's Bluff and inform the Federal authorities 
there of the conditions of the post. The author detailed a 
man by the name of Johardy Ware and a man by the 
name of Simon Mason. They were to procure a canoe 
atid travel in the night, drawing it, when daylight came, 
into thick brush, and in that way, if possible, reach the 
Federal post. They succeeded in reaching the post and 
in a short time commissaries and provisions, with forage, 
were forwarded up the river on two small transports, with 
a number of troops to force its passage up the river. Some- 
time in the latter part of the winter the boats reached 
Batesville and supplied all of the wants and short rations 
of the soldiers and again made everything merry and 
happy. 

Give an Oyster Supper 

In April, 1864, the author had promised to return to 
Rolla for the purpose of aiding and recruiting a regiment, 
known as the 16th Missouri Cavalry Volunteer. He in- 
formed Hie commander and ask^d for his recommendation 
which was granted. He wanted to know when I wanted to 
start so that he could make preparations to send me around 
by water. The author informed him that he intended to 
march through by land. The commander thought it was 
a thing impossible, that scouting bands of rebels had pos- 
session of the country, from a short distance outside of 
Batesville almost to Rolla, Missouri. The commander 
and Provost Marshall gave the author an innovation, made 
an oyster supper for him and his company of scouts, said 
they were loath to give them up, that they had performed 
so much valuable service, and he didn't know where he 
could get any other men to take their places. 

After taking leave of the officers and soldiers, the auth- 
or took a small flag, fastened upon a staff, fastenened it to 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 115 

the browbaiid of the bridle and remarked to the officers 
as he bid them good bye, that the stars and stripes should 
float from Batesville to RoUa or the author would die in 
the attempt. The company then set out for Rolla, Mis- 
souri. Colonel Woods of the 11th Missouri cavalry had 
been on detached service and lyieutenant Colonel Stevens 
had been commanding the regiment. He had received 
orders to join his regiment at Batesville, Arkansas, and, 
with a considerable force of men, reached the state line 
about 12 o'clock, and came in sight of the command. 

They saw our company approaching, at once drew up 
in line of battle, and as many of the rebels had procured 
Federal uniforms, both parties sent out couriers to ascertain 
who the forces were. On learning that both sides were 
Federals, we marched up and went into camp with them. 
The author was immediately taken to Col. Wood's head- 
quarters. He informed him that he had camped near West 
Plains the night before, and that the bushwhackers had kept 
up a continuous fire until after they got a considerable dis- 
tance down South Fork ; and he believed it impossible for 
as small a force as Iliad to reach Rolla without great dis- 
aster and perhaps annihilation. He said that the author 
and his company of scouts were the very men he wanted, 
and offered to increase his salar}' to $7.00 per da3' if he 
would go back with him and remain with his command. 
The author told him that he was honor bound to return to 
Missouri and assist in organizing a regiment of cavalry for 
the United States service, and if the bushwhackers didn't 
keep clear, he would give some of them a furlough before 
he reached Rolla. 

After dinner Woods broke camp and moved in the 
direction of Batesville, and we in the direction of Rolla. 
Near where the last firing was done they had arrested a 
man named Craws, who really was a Union man, and the 



116 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

author liad been well acquainted with him before the war 
commenced, but Woods' soldiers could with difficulty be 
restrained from shooting him. On my informing the Col- 
onel that I was well acquainted with the man and that there 
was no harm in him, he agreed to turn him over to the 
author and let him bring him back home with him. After 
we had started, Craws infcrmed the author that he 
knew the parties who had been firing on the Federal troops ; 
that their headquarters were about two miles from where he 
then resided ; and that he was satisfied from the last firing 
he had heard, that they had turned off from the main road 
and gone up what was called the Newberry hollow. After 
passing the old Newberrj' farm, they had a plain trail that 
turned to the right and led directly to the camp. They 
were commanded by two men named Hawkin,s and Yates. 

On reaching his house he agreed to continue with us 
to the road he thought they had gone, and then return 
home. 1 think he was the happiest man I ever saw when 
he found he had been turned over to my care, believing 
that Woods' command intended to shoot him. 

On reaching the road, we found a fresh rebel trail 
leading right up the creek ; we moved on until near the 
Newberry residence, which we had been informed by Craws 
was occupied by Hawkins' wife. We turned from the road 
and halted, and the author, with two or three of his men, 
being familiar with the country, reached a high point from 
which we could distinctly see one horse .standing at the 
door. Supposing the rebel scouts were all there, we went 
back to the company, moved cautiously toward the house, 
and gave orders to charge upon them as soon as our ap- 
proach was discovered. On coming within fifty yards of 
the house, which was unenclosed, a woman stepped outside 
the door, looked toward us, and then wheeled for the house, 
and we charged. Hawkins' horse was hitched to a half 



AND NOKTHEBX ARKANSAS 117 

of a horse shoe driven in at the side of the door, the bridle 
rein looped over it, his halter rein bein^ alreadj' tied over 
the saddle horn. The author had ordered all to charge 
with pistols in hand. As Hawkins reached the door and 
made an attempt to take his bridle rein, he saw that it was 
impossible. The author demanding his surrender, he at- 
tempted to draw his pistol and had it half way out of its 
holster and cocked, when the author fired upon him. He 
fell back, still holdinj^ his pistol. The author, supposing 
more of the enemy were inside the hotise, dismounted, and 
rushing to the door, demanded the surrender of every per- 
son that might be in the hotLse, As the author entered the 
door, he heard Hawkins, still holding his pistol, remark: 
"Monks. 5'ou have killed me." The author replied 
that that was what he intended to do, and he must let go 
of that pistol or he would be shot again. He took his hand 
loose from the pistol and in a short time was dead. His 
wife asked the author to lay him out. which recjuest was 
complied with. 

We mounted and again took the rebel trail and by 
this time it had grown so dark that we lost it and went on 
to the residence of Captain Howard, dismounted, fed our 
horses and got our supper. 

Captain Howard afterwards informed \. r that 

be had just been home and started back to the rebel camp 
and heard the horses feet, stepped l>ehind a tree and that 
we passed within fifteen feet of him; said if it YiaAn't been 
dark we would have been certain to have found the rebel 
camp ; that that day some one of the rebel soldiers had 
killed a deer, stretched the skin and had it hanging up and 
the camp wasn't more than two hundred yards from the 
main road. After we ate our suppers and fe<I our horses 
we again resumed our march and reached Rolla, Missouri, 
on the second dav afterwards- 



118 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Another Meeting With Captain Forshee 

In the spring of 1863 General Davidson was ordered 
to move from Rolla, Missouri, directly south to Little 
Rock. On breaking camp and marching in the direction of 
West Plains the author, with his company of scouts, 
was ordered to report to him for service. On reaching 
West Plains he went into camp. West Plains and vi- 
cinity were completely covered with tents and troops. 
All of the hills adjoining West Plains were literally cover- 
ed with tents, Davidson's headquarters being inside of the 
town. The author being sent out on a scout, came to the 
home of a man named Barnett residing in Gunter's Valley 
and not being able to reach town, went into camp near 
Barnett's. In a short time Barnett came in home. He had 
been a lieutenant in the company where the author was 
prisoner. He informed the author that he had been to 
Thomasville Mill and that Captain Forshee, who lived 
about one mile below, had also returned with him. 

The author at once placed a guard around Barnett's 
house (Barnett being the father-in-law of the Captain) de- 
tailed two men to accompany him, prepared, mounted, and 
started to the residence of Forshee fully determined to kill 
him. The author instructed his men that if Forshee remain- 
ed in the house and didn't attempt to run, to play off and 
tell him that they belonged to Colonel Woods, a Confed- 
erate officer on White river. The author then being 
clothed in Federal uniform and having but a limited ac- 
quaintance with Forshee before the war did not think that 
he would recognize him. On reaching the house we repaired 
to the door, hallooed, and his wife invited us in. The 
author had his pistol under the cape of his coat still de- 
termined upon killing him. On entering the house, found 
him in bed with one of his children, his wife did not have 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 119 

the supper on the table. The author asked him if 
he had ever been in the Confederate service; he an- 
swered that he had, went out in the six months pro- 
visional Confederate service; didn't sta}' his time out, 
resigned and came home. The author asked him if they 
had taken any prisoners while thej^ were in service; he 
hesitated a moment and replied that they did. The au- 
thor asked him if he remembered the names of any of 
them ; he said he remembered the names of two of them 
well. The author asked him if he knew what became of 
them; he said that Black enlisted in the Confederate 
service, served his time out and then substituted him- 
self and was now in the eastern Confederate army ; he 
again hesitated. The author asked him if he knew what 
became of the other man; he said that he didn't; that he 
made his escape from the Confederate arni}^ and lie had 
heard that he was a captain in the Northern army. The 
author said with an oath "How would you like to see 
him;" he replied "l would not like to see him verj- well." 
The author then said, with an oath, "I am here, look at me 
and see whether 3'ou think I am worth a beef cow or not." 
At this his wife sprang between him and the author and he 
said to the author, "Captain, there ain't one man out of 
ninety -nine but what would kill me for the treatment you 
received while a prisoner but I have alwaj^s thought that if 
I ever met you and 3'ou would give me the time to explain 
the cause of it, you wouldn't kill me, and I want to live 
to raise my children." 

The thought passed through the mind of the author 
that he could not kill him in the lap of his family; but he 
would take him to Barnett's house where he had some 
more prisoners and on the next day he would kill him on 
the way ; ordered him to get out of that bed ; Forshee 
again appealed and said that he would like to know 



120 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

whether th.e author was going to kill him or not; that he 
wanted to live to raise his children. The author replied 
to him with an oath that "yon ought to have thought of 
these things when you was pulling me away from the 
bosom of mj' family, never gave me time to bid them good- 
by; get out of that bed." There was about a six months 
old child in the cradle. He slid out of the bed, kneeled 
down by the cradle, and was in the act of praying, his 
wife still standing close b}^ The author ordered him 
to get up; that it was too late to praj^ after the devil came; 
that I had been appointed by the devil to send him up at 
once and he had the coals hot and ready to receive him 
and that I didn't want to disappoint the devil. He arose 
to his feet and again asked the author if he was going to 
kill him; said he wanted t:n:e to give n e the whole truth 
of the matter; went on to say Hawkins, Sapp, Kaiser and 
otl^ers v\'ere the cause of all the mistreatment, but would 
admit that he done wrong in agreeing to deliver the author 
to them for the purpose of having him mobbed and for 
abusing him, himself. 

His wife had hot coffee on the table and she asked that 
he be allowed to sit down, saying that she wanted to see 
him sup coffee once more. The author told her that they 
never gave him time to bid his wife good-b3^e, let alone to 
sup coffee with her. After taking a few sups of coffee, the 
author said that he couldn't fool any longer with him ; that 
he must strike a line and move out. His wife said that she 
was going with him, but her husband told her she l:ad no 
business going, as it was then snowing and the ground was 
considerably frozen. The author told her that if she was 
determined to go, the boys could take her and the children 
behind them, Init the Captain would have to walk right in 
front of the author, and if he made a crooked step from 
there until he reached Barnett's, he would shoot him 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 121 

through. The boys took his wife and ch?Idren on the 
horses, and the author started the Captain in front of him. 
He had thought that he would be compelled to shoot him 
on the way, but he could not shoot him in the presence of 
his family; so he thought he would take him to the guard 
house and keep him until morning, and then on the 
way to West Plains he would make a pretext to kill 
him, for he thought he must kill him. 

In the morning, after breakfast, we broke can.ip and 
moved in the direction of West Plains. The author had 
now become cool, and while he believed he ought to kill 
him for what he had done, he could not afford to shoot, or 
cause a prisoner to be shot, while he was in his charge; so 
on reaching West Plains, the prisoner was turned over to 
the guard house. 

The morning following was very cool, and the ground 
was covered with snow. Gen. Davidson had ordered out 
a large scout for the purpose of marching towards Bates - 
ville and White river, to feel the strength of the enemy, and 
the author's com]:)any composed a part of the detail. After 
the command was mounted and waiting for orders to move, 
the serge?>ut of the guard came out and inquired if there was 
a Captain Monks in that command. The Colonel informed 
him that there was. He said there was a prisoner in the 
guard house who wanted to see him. The aiithor got per- 
mission to ride to the guard house, and on reaching the 
door, wdio should meet him but Capt. Forshee, who told the 
author that he had almost frozen the night before, and 
wanted to know if the author couldn't loan him a blanket. 
He was told that he was the last man who should ask the 
author for the use of a blanket. Forshee replied: "That's 
so. Captain; but I believe that you are a good man, and 
don't want to see a man, while he is a prisoner, suffer from 
cold." The author asked him if they had any gray backs 



122 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

in the ,^uard house. He said he had none on himself, but 
didn't knov/ in what condition the others were. 

Tlie author had two new government blankets that he 
had paid $5 apiece for a short time previous, on the back 
of his saddle. He told Forshee that he didn't know as he 
would need them both until he had gotten back from the 
scout, and would loan him a blanket until he returned. 
Forshee replied: "I will never forget the favor." The 
author handed him one of the blankets, and immediately^ 
started on the scout. While the scout was south recon- 
noitering with the enemy, Gen. Davidson received orders 
from headquarters countermanding the order to march to 
lyittle Rock by land, and that he would march his forces to 
Ironton, Missouri, and there await further orders. He at 
once broke camp and resumed his march in the direction 
of Ironton, carrying the prisoners with him, with orders for 
the scout on its return to move up and overtake him, as 
they were all cavalry. So the author never saw Capt. 
Forshee nor his blanket anj^ more, but was informed that 
he was parolled at Ironton, took the oath, returned to Ore- 
gon county, and died shortly after the close of the v/ar. 

Upon the return of the scout to West Plains, a part of 
the command that belonged to Gen. Davidson's forces 
moved on after the army, while the author, with two com- 
panies, remained in West Plains about half a day for the 
purpose of resting up. While in West Plains a rebel that 
the author was well acquainted with, came to him and told 
him he had better be getting out of West Plains, for a force 
of five hundred rebels was liable to come into West Plains 
at any moment. The author pretended to become consid- 
ably alarmed, and reported that he was going to march 
directly to Rolla with the two companies then under his 
command. After marching about fifteen miles in the direc- 
tion of Rolla, he made a flank movement, marched into the 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 123 

corner of Douglass county, was there reinforced, and the 
next day marched directly to the west end of Howell county. 
The rebels, believing that the Federal troops had all left the 
county, came in in small bunches from all over the coun- 
ty. The author made a forced march and reached the west 
end of the county about dark, turned directly toward West 
Plains, took the rebels completely by surprise, had a num- 
ber of skirmishes with them, reaching West Plains with 
more rebel prisoners than he had men of his own. On the 
next day we turned in the direction of Rolla, and by forced 
march reached Texas county. On the next morning we 
reached the Federal post at Houston, in Texas county, 
and turned over the prisoners, among whom were several 
prominent ofhcers. Capt. Nicks was one of them. On 
the night of his capture the author said to him: ' It ap- 
pears to me that it is al)out the same time of night that the}^ 
brought me prisoner to j'our house." He answered: "I 
declare I believe it is." After the rebels found the small 
number of the force that had made the scout, thej' de- 
clared that it was a shame to let Monks run right into the 
very heart of the rebels and carry out more prisoners than 
he had men. 

Murdering Federal Soldiers. 

Some time in June, 1863, a rebel scoiit and a Federal 
scout had a fight about twenty miles northwest of Rolla. 
The rebels were forced to abandon a number of wagons and 
mules, and the Federals, owing to the emergency that con- 
fronted them at the time, did not wish to be encumbered 
with them, so they employed a farmer to keep the mules in 
his pasture until the government should send for them. 
The Federal scouts from Rolla and Jefferson City would 
meet occasionally while scouting. On the scout's arrival 
at Rolla, another scout composed of about one company of 



124 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Federals was sent out to bring in the wagons and teams. 
Just before reaching the place where the wagons and teams 
had been left, they saw a command of alwut two hundred 
and fifty men, all dressed in Federal uniforms, and they at 
once took them to be a Federal scout from Jefferson City. 
On approaching each other, they passed the army salute, 
and marched right down the Federal line; they, being un- 
suspecting, believed them to be Federal troops. As soon 
as they were in position each man had his man covered 
with a pistol. The rebel scout outnumbering the Federal 
scout more than two to one, they demanded their surrender. 
The Federals, seeing their condition, at once surrendered. 
They were marched about a quarter of a mile, near where 
the wagons and teams were left, dismounted and went into 
camp, as the rebels claimed, for dinner. Several citizens 
were present. They marched the Federal company to- 
gether, surrounded them in a hollow square, brought some 
old ragged clothing, and ordered them to strip. After they 
were all stripped completely naked, and while some were 
attempting to put on the old clothing, all their uniforms 
having been removed a short distance from them, at a cer- 
tain signal the rebels fired a deadlj' volley into them. Then 
followed one of the most desperate scenes ever witnessed by 
the eye of man. The men saw their doom, and those who 
were not killed by the first volley rushed at the rebels, 
caught them, tried to wrest their arms from them, and a 
desperate struggle took place; men wrestling, as it were, 
for their very lives. 

A number of the Federals had their throats cut with 
knives. After the rebels had completed the slaughter and 
hadn't left a man alive to tell the tale, they ate their dinner, 
and taking the mules and wagons, moved southwest with 
them. The citizens at once reported the affair to the com- 
mander of the post at Rolla. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 125 

The men who were killed belonged to an Iowa regi- 
ment, and the author believes it was the 3rd Iowa, but will 
not be positive. A strong detail was made and sent at once 
to the scene of the late tragedy, with wagons and teams to 
bring the dead back to Rclla. On their arrival with them, 
it was the most horrible scene that the author ever looked 
upon. After they were buried, the regiment to which they 
belonged declared and avowed that they intended to take 
the same number of rebel lives. The commander, knowing 
their determination, and being satisfied that they would 
carry it into effect if the opportunity offered, transferred 
them to another part of the countr3\ 

A Rebel Raid. 

Some time in the fall of 1863 the Federal authorities 
at Rolla learned that the rebels were organizing a strong 
force in Arkansas, for the purpose of making a raid into 
Missouri. The rebels were under the command of Gen. 
Burbrage. The author, being still the commander of the 
scouts, was ordered to take one man and go south, for the 
purpose of learning, if possible, the movements of the 
rebels. The author left Rolla, came b}- way of Houston, 
where there w'as a post, thence to Hutton Valley, where 
there was living a man named Andy Smith, who was a 
Union man, but had made the rebels believe he was in 
favor of the south. The author approached Smith's house 
after dark, got something to eat and to feed his horses, 
and learned from Smith that the rebels were about pre- 
pared to make the raid into Missouri. On the next day the 
author was informed by Smith that Burbrage was then 
moving with his full force in the direction of Missouri. 
The author at once started, intending to reach the nearest 
Federal force, which was in Douglas county. In the 
meantime, Gen. Burbrage, with his whole force, reached 



126 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

the Missouri line, leaving West Plains a little to the right, 
taking an old trace that ran on the divide between the 
waters of the North fork of White river and of Eleven 
Points river, this being afterwards known as "the old 
Burbrage trail." The author, expecting they would march 
by way of West Plains and on through Hutton Valley, 
thought he would be able to keep ahead of them and make 
his report; but owing to their marching an entirely differ- 
ent route, the author crossed their trail. He found that a 
large force of men had just passed and he, in company with 
a man named lyong, examined the horse tracks, found that 
the shoes contained three nails in each side, and knew at 
once that it must be Burbrage's command. They had 
passed not more than three hours before this time. Mak- 
ing a forced march, the author and Long followed on the 
same trail, and soon came to a house, holloed, and a lady 
coming out, we inquired how far the command was ahead. 
The lady informed us that they hadn't been gone more than 
three hours, and she exclaimed: "Hurrah for Gen. Bur- 
brage and his brave men! The Yankees and lop-eared 
Dutch are goin' to ketch it now, and they intend to clean 
them out of the country!" We then became satisfied as 
to whose command it was, and their destination. We rode 
on about two hundred 3^ards from the house, turned to the 
left, and started with all possible speed, intending, if pos- 
sible, to go around them and get the word in ahead of 
them. On striking the road at the head of the North Fork 
of White river, we looked ahead of us about a hundred 
yards and saw twenty-five men, about fifty yards from the 
road, all in citizen's dress, wearing white hat bands. 
The state had ordered all the state militia to wear white 
hat bands, so that they might be designated from the 
rebels. The author remarked to Long: "I guess the 
men are militia, but we will ride slowly along the road and 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 12 7 

pass them, for fear they are rebels." They remained still 
on their horses until after we had passed them, then 
they moved forward and came riding; up and halted us. and 
wanted to know who we were. The author told them his 
name was Williams and Long told them his name was 
Tucker. Thej' asked us if we had ever heard of the Al- 
sups, and we told them we had. Then they wanted to 
know where we were going. We told them we were going 
into Arkansas, near Yellville; that a general order had 
been made in the state of ^Missouri that all able-bodied men 
must come and enroll their names and those who were not 
in the state service would have to be taxed ; that we didn't 
want to fight nor pay a tax to support those who were 
fighting. They ordered us to dismount, surrounded us, 
with cocked pistols, and ordered us to crawl out of our 
clothes and give up our arms. We commenced to strip. 
Long had on a very fine pair of boots, for which he had 
just paid $5.00, and while the author didn't know at what 
moment they would be shot, he could not help but be 
tickled at the conduct of Long when they ordered him to 
take off his boots. He crossed his legs and commenced 
pulling, with the remark: "My boots are tight." The 
pistols were cocked and presented right on him, not more 
than six feet away, and they told him to hurrj^ up or they 
would shoot his brains out. W^hile he was pulling at his 
boots he appeared to be looking right down the muzzles of 
the revolvers. As soon as he had pulled off his boots and 
pitched them over, they remarked: "Hell, a right brand 
new pair of socks on. Pull them off quick and throw them 
over." A part of these men were dressed in the dirtiest, 
most ragged clothes the author had ever seen — old wool 
hats, with strings tied under their chins, old shoes with 
the toes worn out, and old socks that were mostly legs ; 
but claiming all the time to be militia. They ordered us to 



128 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

get into their oli clothes and shoes, and placed their old 
hats upon us. Our clothing and hats all being new, the 
author thought that was one of the hardest things thej^ had 
ordered him to do; that he was just as apt to get out of 
the garments as to get into them. After we were dressed 
in their old clothing, one of them asked: "What did you 
say your name was?" Long replied, "Tucker." One 
that was standing a little back came running up with his 
pistol cocked, and remarked that if he was a certain Tucker 
(naming the Tucker) : "I am going to kill him right 
here." Another of the number said: "Hold on, this man 
is not the Tucker that you are thinking of." Then their 
leader said, with an oath: "We belong to Gen. Bur- 
bra'^e's command. He is just ahead. Do you want us to 
take you up to headquarters?" We told him Vvchad heard 
of Gen. Burbrage, and expected that he was a good man, 
so if the}^ wanted to take us to his headquarters all right: 
but we did not want to fall into the hands of the militia, as 
we wanted to get through to Yellville while Gen. Burbrage 
was in the country. One of the men looked at the horses 
we were riding and remarked: "Let's take the horses. 
We have orders to take all horses that are fit for the ser- 
vice." Another said the horses were rather small for the 
service, and as v/e would have a great deal of water to cross 
between there and Yellville, it would be a pit}' to make us 
wade it. Then their leader remarked: "We are Confed- 
erate soldiers, out fighting for our countr}^ and you men 
are too damned coward!}^ to fight. We have got to have 
clothing, and as we suppose you are good southern men, 
when you get to Yellville you can v/ork for more clothes." 
They then ordered us to take the road and move on, and 
tell the Alsups that the country was full of rebels. 

We mounted our horses and rode awa3% feeling happy 
on account of our escape. They remained in the road and 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 129 

watched us until we were out of their sight. The author 
looked over at Long's feet and saw his toes sticking out of 
his old shoes ; could see his naked skin in sevenal places 
through his raiment. He hardlj- looked natural — didn't 
look like the same man. We hadn't gone more than a 
mile until we struck a farm and a road leading between the 
farm on one side and the bluff and river on the other, and 
looking in front, saw about fifteen men coming. The 
author said to Long: "What shall we do? Shall we at- 
tempt to run, or had we better pass them?" We concluded 
that it was impossible to get away by running; the only 
chance left being to try to pass through them without 
being recognized. , 

We rode up to meet them, and they halted us and 
wanted to know where we were going. We told them we 
were going to Marion county, Arkansas, near Yellville. 
They asked us our names and we again gave the names of 
Williams and Tucker. A man named Charley Durham 
who had resided at West Plains and had met me several 
times, rode up near us and asked me; "What did you say 
your name was?" I replied, "Williams." He asked: 
"Did you ever live down here about the state line?" I 
told him I never did, but I might have had relatives who 
lived on the state line. He said: "I am satisfied that I 
have seen you somewhere." One of the crowd asked us 
if we had met about twenty-five soldiers just ahead, and 
when we informed them that we had, they remarked; 
"Bully for the boys; we had better be moving on or we 
will be late." They moved on, and we continued down 
the road. As soon as we were out of sight I said to Long ; 
"We will not risk our chances in passing any more of 
them; there are too many men down here that are ac- 
quainted with us. If it hadn't been for my old clothes, 
Charley Durham would have recognized me beyond a 



130 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

doubt." We then left the road and took to the woods, 
reaching the Federal forces about midnight. They had not 
heard a thing regarding the approach of the rebels. They 
hurriedly began to gather in all the forces, and at once set 
out to find, if possible, the destination of Gen. Burbrage. 
It was learned that he had completely cut us off from reach- 
ing either Houston or Rolla. On the next day the Federal 
farces met Gen. Burbrage at Hearstville, Wright county, 
Missouri, and there fought a battle with him. The com- 
mander of the post at Houston, who was in command of 
the Federals, was killed on the first fire from the artillery 
of Gen. Burbrage. Col McDonald, during the engage- 
ment, was shot dead at the head of the town spring. 
Burbrage retreated on the same route that he had come up 
on. His command was separated into several divisions, to 
get food. 

Long and I had been furnishrd clothes and arms. 
Capt. Alsup being in command, moved near the road that 
leads down Fox Creek, saw a rebel scout moving down Fox 
Creek, composed of a part of the same men we had met the 
day before. Capt. Alsup said he thought that by striking 
the road and taking the rebels by surprise we could rout 
them. On marching about a mile we came in sight of 
them, dismounted for dinner at the house of a man 
named Ferris. I proposed to Capt. Alsup that we charge 
then. He thought it might be too dangerous ; that they 
would have the benefit of the house, and might outnumber 
us, and we would be compelled to retreat and might be cut 
off from our horses. He ordered us to dismount, fromed a 
line, left men to hold the horses, and on moving about ten 
steps, the rebel picket, who was placed just outside of the 
line, discovered us. They opened fire from each side of the 
house, and along a picket fence which enclosed the house. 
We returned the fire. The first volley that was fired, a 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 131 

ball passed near my ear, and woundad the horse that I 
was riding. The firing continued for some time. We had 
them cut off from their horses, unless they came outside 
and faced the continual firing. One man attempted to 
leave the house and reach his horse, but about ten feet from 
the door he received a wound in the face and fell to the 
ground. In a moment he arose to his feet, and he and sev- 
eral others again retreated into the house. The firing con- 
tinued for fifteen or twenty minutes, when the rebels re- 
treated on foot, by taking advantage of the house, except 
one man, who reached his horse, cut the halter, sprang 
into the saddle, turned his horse down the lane, leaning 
close to the horn of the saddle, put spurs and made his es- 
cape. In the meantime the wounded man attempted to 
make his escape by taking advantage of the house and re- 
treating. Capt. Alsup, when he saw the rebels were re- 
treating, ordered a charge. The wounded man was again 
wounded, and fell to the ground, helpless. All the other 
rebels reached the woods, and made their escape. 

Farris, the man who owned the house where the rebels 
were stopping, received a serious wound in the breast. 
They left sixteen horses with their rigs, saddle -riders filled 
with new clothing, in our possession. Gen. Burbrage re- 
treated from the state, and the author reported to his com- 
mand at Rolla. 

Rescuing Union Families. 

In the fall of 1862 some of the Union men whose fam- 
ilies w^ere still residing in Ozark and Howell counties went 
to the Federal post and were promised arms and ammuni- 
tion in order to return and try to get their families out, as 
it had become almost impossible for their families to get 
through alone, on account of being robbed. About fifty of 
them procured arms and started for Howell county, from the 



132 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

outpost oi the Federal authorities. They marched at night 
and lay by in the day, and on reaching the western part of 
Howell county, informed their families to get ready to move, 
still keeping themselves in hiding. About twenty families 
prepared for moving, and had assembled on the bayou, near 
where Friend's old mill was located. Just about the time 
they were ready to start, a bunch of rebels came up and 
opened fire on them. They returned the fire and held the 
rebels at a distance while they moved all their wagons up 
close together, and started in the direction of Ozark county. 
One of the men who had come to assist in the escort be- 
came excited upon the first fire from the rebels and ran, 
never stopping until he reached the Federal lines. The re- 
mainder of the men bravely repelled the rebels, while their 
families kept their teams steadily moving. On reaching 
the big North Fork of White River, and while the families 
in their wagons were in mid -stream, the rebels reached the 
bluff and opened fire on them. The Union men vigorously 
returned the fire. They all reached the opposite side of 
the river without one of their number being killed; some of 
the women and children had received slight wounds, but 
nothing serious. The rebels still continued to fire upon 
them until thej' reached the northern part of Ozark county, 
when further pursuit was abandoned, and about twenty 
families were enabled to reach the Federal lines. In a 
short time the Union men attempted to again reach their 
homes, for the purpose of helping destitute families to get 
out. They traveled only at night, keeping themselves con- 
cealed in day time. In this way they reached Fulton 
county, Arkansas, when the rebels found out that some of 
the Union men were in the country. The rebel forces at 
once became so strong that the Federals had to retreat 
without getting any of their families, passing back through 
the western part of Ho\N'ell county, over into Ozark, and 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 133 

went into camp on tlie head of I.ick Creek. Shorth' after 
they got into camp the rebels slipoed up on tliem and 
opened fire, mortall}' wounding a man named Fox and 
slightl}' wounding several others. The}" had to scatter at 
once to avoid being captured, and when the}" reached the 
Federal lines the}^ were almost worn out. At this time all 
of the Federal posts had numbers of refugee families sta- 
tioned near them, entirely destitute of food and raiment, 
and relying entirely for their preservation upon the small 
amount of help they received from the government. 

General Price's Raid. 

Upon my return from Batesvflle, Arkansas, in the 
spring- of 1864, I commenced recruiting for the 16th INIis- 
souri Cavalry Volunteers, the most of the regiment being 
composed of men who had been in the state service. The 
required number to form the regiment was soon procured, 
and the regiment was organized, electing for their Colonel, 
John Mahan. The author w^as elected Captain of Co. K. 
The regiment was at once placed in active service, being 
quartered at Springfield, Missouri, up to the time of Gen. 
Price's raid. Then the regiment was divided, one half of 
it being sent iti pursuit of Price. The other half, which 
was known as the second battalion, was placed under my 
command and held at Springfield, it being expected that 
Gen. Price would change his line of march and attack the 
city. As soon as the fact was ascertained that Price was 
marching north and west of Springfield, orders were made 
to send every available man that could be spared from the 
post. Among the troops sent out was the author's battal- 
ion. We w^ere ordered oii a forced march in the direction 
of Uton}', for the purpose of cutting off Price's retreat. We 
reached Utony about 10 o'clock at night, where they had a 
strong Federal garrison. Two thousand rebels of Price's 



134 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

command had just marched across the road before we 
reached the garrison, and gone into camp in sight of the 
town. Strong pickets were thrown out on each side. 
About da3dight the Federal forces broke camp and moved 
on the rebel camp, soon coming in sight of the rebel forces, 
and fire was opened on both sides. The rebels commenced 
retreating, the Federals pursuing, and continuous firing and 
fighting was kept up until we came near the Arkansas line. 
A number of rebel prisoners were taken, besides some of 
their commissary wagons falling into the possession of the 
Federals. The Federal commander then ordered a retreat 
back to Springfield. Price's forces had torn up all the 
railroads as they passed over them, cutting off all supplies, 
and the soldiers and prisoners had been placed on quarter 
rations. The prisoners, numbering about three hundred 
and fifty, were ordered to be taken to Rolla, Missouri. 
After the first day's march from Springfield they met a 
Federal train carrying commissaries to Springfield and 
other western points. The men being then on quarter ra- 
tions, the Colonel took possession of some of the commis- 
saries and issued them to the soldiers and prisoners, for 
which he was afterward arrested and court-martialed. On 
reaching Lebanon, Missouri, I saw the quartermaster haul 
in about five or six loads of shucked corn, which was dis- 
tributed to the soldiers and prisoners. I well remember 
that wdiile they were distributing the corn to the prisoners, 
a general rush, which appeared to be almost uncontrollable, 
was made around the wagon. The corn was thrown out 
on the ground among them, thej^ picked it up in their arms, 
and at once retired to their camp fires, so that they might 
parch and eat it. After leaving Lebanon, the prisoners 
were all placed in charge of the author. He remembers 
one rebel prisoner who had on a fine dress coat, with a 
bullet hole right in the center of the back, and the soldiers 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 135 

had to be watched closely to prevent them from shooting 
him, as they believed it to be a coat that had been taken 
from the body of some Union man, after he had been shot. 
On reaching Rolla, the author turned over all the pris- 
oners to the commander of the post, and they were sent 
directl}' to Rock Island, there to be held as prisoners until 
such time as thcj' might be exchanged. I again returned 
to Springfield and reported to my regiment. A short time 
thereafter, the loyal men of the counties of Howell, Dent, 
Texas, Phelps, Ozark and Douglas, in Missouri, and of 
Fulton, Izard and Independence counties, in Arkansas, 
with a number of the officers and soldiers, including the 
commander at Rolla, petitioned Gen. Schofield, who was 
then in command of the western district, to have the author 
detached from his regiment, then at Springfield, and sent 
south of Rolla to some convenient place, and given com- 
mand of a post, as it was almost impossible t3 send com- 
missaries through from Rolla to Springfield, on w-hat was 
known as the wire road, on account of the roving bands of 
rebels, who had complete control of the country, a short 
distance from the military post. 

Capt. Monks Establishes a Post at Licking. 

Gen. Schofield at once made an order that Capt. Monks 
be detached from his regiment and report at Rolla, with his 
company, for further orders. Gen. Sanborn, then in com- 
mand at Springfield, informed the author of his final des- 
tination; that on reaching Rolla, he would be ordered by 
Gen. Schofield to I^icking, Missouri, to establish a post. 

It soon leaked out, aad the rebels swore openly that if 
he established a post at lyicking or at any other southern 
point, they would soon drive the post into the ground and 
annihilate him and his men. I went to Gen. Sanborn and 
requested that he send a telegram to Gen. Schofield, and 



136 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

ask him to countermand that part of the order that required 
Capt. Monks to rc])ort at RoHa for furtlier orders, and order 
him to move directly from Springfield to Licking. The 
General hesitated for sometime, as to whether it would be 
good polic}', owing to the large numbers of rebels in the 
country through which I had to pass. He didn't believe 
that I would be able to reach I^icking with the one com- 
pany, but he finally decided that if I was willing to risk it, 
he would ask Gen. vSchofield to change his order. On Gen. 
Schofield's receiving the telegram, he made an order that I 
be detached from my regiment, be furnished two company 
wagons, be well supplied with arms, and proceed directly 
to Licking. On reaching Licking I was to report by courier 
to headquarters for further orders; and in obedience to said 
order, two company wagons, with tents, comissaries, arms 
and ammunition were at once furnished, and I set out for 
Licking, Texas county; passed Hartville, the county seat 
of Wright county, and struck the waters of Big Piney. 
There was considerable snow on the ground at the time. I 
took the rebels by complete surprise. While they were 
expecting me from Rolla to Licking, I struck them from 
the direction they least expected. On reaching Piney, I 
encountered a rebel force of about sixty men. We had a 
fight, two or three rebels were killed, and the rest retreated 
south. From that time until we reached Licking, we had 
more or less fighting ever}^ da3^ We would strike trails of 
rebels in the snow, where there appeared to be over one 
hundred men, but they were so sure that it was a large 
scout from vSpringfield that they did not take time to ascer- 
tain, but retreated south at once. On reaching Licking, I 
sent a dispatch to Gen. Schofield, telling of my arrival, 
and immediatel}- received orders to establish a post and 
erect a stockade fort, and to issue such orders as I believed 
would rid the country of those irregular bands of rebels and 



AND NOKTHEKN ARKANSAS 137 

bushwhackers and protect al! in th.eir person and property, 
especial!}' the loyal men. I imniediatel}^ selected a frame 
building for my headquarters, with an office near b}' for the 
man acting as prov^ost marshal ; issued my order requirin^g 
all persons who claimed protection from the Federal authori- 
tfes to come in and take the oath, and bring with them 
axes, shovels, picks and spades, with their teams, for 
the purpose of erecting a stock'ade fort. An.d furtlier 
setting out in said order, requiring ail persons who 
knew of any irregular bands of rebels or- bushwhack- 
ers roaming or passing through the country, to report 
them at once; and if they failed to report them, they 
woukl be taken as bushwhackers and treated as such. In 
a short time I had erected a complete stockade fort with 
port-holes, and room enough inside to place all the cavalry 
horses in case of an attack by the rebels. I had these or- 
ders printed and sent out all over the countr\'. In a short 
time, a man who had been known to be a rebel, but had 
stayed at home unmolested, but who had been giving aid 
and comfort to the rebels, came into the office and said: 
"Captain, I want to see you in 3'our private room." On 
entering the room he said : "I have read that order of 
yours. You don't intend to enforce it, do 3'ou, Captain?" 
I said to him that I did or I wouldn't have made it; that 
the rebels and I could not both stay in that country. He 
said to me, "Captain, of all the post commanders we have 
had here, there never was one of them issued such an or- 
der as that. You know if I were to report those rebel 
bands they would kill me." I replied, "\'ery well; 3'ou 
have read my order, and I have said to you and all others 
that if you fail to report them I will kill 3'ou ; and 3'ou say 
if you do report them, they will kill you; now, if 3'ou are 
more afraid of them than you are of me, you will have to 
risk the consequences; for, by the eternal God! if you fail 



138 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

to report them, I have said to you that I would treat you 
as a bushwhacker, and you well know how I treat them." 
He dropped his head for a few minutes, then raised it and 
said: "Well, it is mighty hard, Captain." I replied that 
there were a great many hard things now; asked him 
where all of his Union neighbors were. He said that they 
had been forced to leave their homes and were around the 
Federal ])osts for the reason that they claimed to be Union 
men. I told him that "a lot of you rebels have lain here 
in the country' and made more money than j^ou ever made 
before in your lives, and at the same time you have been 
giving aid, comfort and encouragement to all of these ir- 
regular bands — giving them all the information that they 
wanted, so that they might know just when to make their 
raids, and now I propose to break it up and stop it, unless 
they are able to rout me and drive me away. The govern- 
ment proposes to protect all of you who will come in and 
take the oath and comply with every requirement set out 
in the order. All I ask of 3'ou men is to give me informa- 
tion of these irregular rebel bands and their whereabouts, 
and 5^ou can again return home and your information will 
be kept a secret; but this much you are required to do." 
In a short time a large number of them had come in and 
enrolled their names, took the oath and went to work on 
the fort like heroes. 

Occasionalh' one would come in and sa}^ "Captain, I 
want to procure a pass for me and my family through the 
Federal lines; I want to leave." I would ask him; 
"What's the matter now? You have stayed here all 
through the war, up to the present time, and now I have 
come among 3'ou, and offered to protect every one of you 
who will take the oath and comply with orders." He 
would reply with a long sigh, "Yes, Captain but that 
order that you have made." I would ask him "what 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 139 

order. ' ' " Yoii require all citizens, especialh' we people who 
have been rebels, and stayed at home, to report all of the 
roving bands of rebels and bushwhackers ; if we don't do it, 
you will treat us like bushwhackers ; if we were to report 
them, thej' would kill us." I said, "Now, you must chose 
between the two powers ; and if you are more afraid of the 
rebels than you are of me, you will have to risk 3-our 
chances. You say if you report them, they will kill 3-ou. 
Now, by the Eternal, I am determined to enforce every- 
thing that I have set out in that order. This daj' you 
must settle in your own mind whom you will obe3^ As 
soon as the first roving bands of rebels and guerrillas 
reached the country for tlie purpose of raiding the wire 
road between Rolla and Springfield, the night never was 
too dark but that this same class of men would come in 
and report them. I would at once make a detail, send 
these men right out with them. As soon as they would 
get near to the rebels, they would dismiss these men and 
let them go home. 

The rebels, for several years, had been sending out a 
large scout from North Arkansas and the border counties 
of Missouri and when they would reach Texas and Pulaski 
counties they would divide into small squads and travel the 
by-wa3's and ridges; on reaching the wire road they would 
then concentrate and lay in wait until the wagon trains and 
noncombatants who were merchants, were moving through 
from Rolla to Springfield under the protection of an es- 
cort; and all at once they would make a charge upon them 
from their hiding places, rout the escort, capture the train 
and all others that might be in company with it, cut the 
mules loose from the wagon, take all the goods that was 
not cumberson, especially coffee, sugar, salt and dry 
goods, place them on the backs of the mules, travel a 
short distance, divide up again into small parties, take 



140 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

byways and mountains, travel fifteen or twenty miles, go 
into camp; on reaching the counties of Oregon and Slian- 
non, Fulton and Ivawrence, of Arkansas, they would con- 
centrate their forces, go into camp, eat, drink, and be 
merry. As soon as their supplies would run short, they 
would make another scout of a similar nature. The 
connnanders of the post, as soon as the}' would attack the 
trains, would order out a scout to pursue them. They 
would strike their trail and follow them a short distance 
to where they would separate and take to the mountains. 
They would abandon the pursuit, return and swear 
that the countrj' wasn't worth protecting. In that way 
the)^ completely outgenerald the Federal forces and held 
complete possession of the country almost in sight of the 
post. 

On one occasion, when the weather was ver^- cold and 
bleak, I knew of their capturing some of the Federal sol- 
diers within one mile of the fort, kept them until the cold- 
est part of the night, just before day, stripped them naked, 
turned them loose, and they were compelled to travel a 
mile before they could reach a fire, and the}- were almost 
frostbitten. Ever}^ Union man was driven away from his 
home and moved his family to different posts. 

The author had declared that he and the rebels could 
not both remain in the country together; that he would 
either rout them or they would have to rout him, and for 
that reason every man that remained in the country would 
have to aid him in tlie work. So, m ever}^ instance, when 
he would send a force in pursuit of those raiding bands, he 
would order the scout to follow them, and when they di- 
vided to still continue pursuit of the most visible trail, and 
when they came in sight to not take time to count noses, 
but charge them and pursue them until thej^ were com- 
pletely annihilated. They would go into camp and move 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 141 

at their leisure, but not so when 1115^ scouts got in pursuit 
of them. In a number of instances they would overtake 
them from twenty to twenty -five miles from the wire road, 
in camp, having a jolly good time, and the first intimation 
they would have would be the boys in blue charging in 
amongst them, shooting right and left, and they would 
scatter in all directions. 

It was but a short time until tliey remarked to some of 
the rebel sympathizers that they had never seen such a 
change in the movements of the Federal scouts ; that they 
used to consider themselves safe from a Federal scout as 
soon as they left the main road and divided into small 
squads; but now they were in as much danger in the most 
secluded spot in the mountains as they were in the traveled 
roads; therefore, their commanders would have to change 
their tactics in regard to the scouts, and abandon that part 
of the country, as almost every scout that they had made 
to the wire road had proved disastrous since "Old Monks" 
had been placed in command of the post. In a short time, 
the Un.ion men, who had been driven from the country, 
began to return and go onto their farms, and about five 
months after I had been placed in command of the post, 
the civil authorities came and held circuit court. Judge 
Waddle, of Springfield, then being circuit judge. 

Skirmishes with the Rebels. 

Some time in the summer, Col. Freeman, who was 
commanding the rebels in northeastern Arkansas, whose 
headquarters were near the Spring River mill, made a raid 
and threatened to capture the Federal forces that were then 
at the lyicking post. I soon gained information of his in- 
tention, made every preparation to repel the attack, also 
informed the commander at Rolla of the intended raid. 
Col. Freeman, accompanied by other rebel commanders. 



142 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

concentrated all of the available rebel force then at his com- 
mand, raided the country, came v/ithin about five miles of 
the post, learned that reinforcements had been sent to the 
post, countermarched and retreated to his headquarters near 
the head of Spring river. 

A regiment of Federal troops, known as the Fifteenth 
Veterans, was sent as a reinforcement, with a part of the 
Fifth Missouri State Militia that was then stationed at Sa- 
lem, with orders to remain at the post. I received orders 
to organize all of the available troops and pursue the rebel 
forces, and, if possible, to reach the Spring River mill, in 
Fulton county, Arkansas, and destroy the mill, which 
Freeman was using at that time for grinding meal. The 
Federal force composing the scout, aggregating about three 
hundred and fifty men, moved from the post at Licking. 
The author divided his forces, ordering one wing of them 
to move through Spring Valley, in Texas county; the other 
wing to m^ve directly in the direction of Thomasville, with 
orders to form a junction about seven miles from Thomas- 
ville, where there was a rebel force stationed. On reach- 
ing the Wallace farm, in Oregon county, we came onto a 
force of rebe's, commanded by James Jamison, who had 
met for the purpose of receiving amnumition which had 
been smuggled through from Ironton. After an engage- 
ment, the rebels fled, leaving one man dead; James Jami- 
son received a flesh wound in the thigh. The Federal 
force which had been ordered through Spring Valley had 
had an engagement near the head of the valley, which had 
delayed them. The plans of the author had been frustrated 
by coming in contact with the rebels sooner than he ex- 
pected. As they had retreated in the direction of Thomas- 
ville, where the main force was said to be stationed, I con- 
tinued my march, and in about one mile came onto a rebel 
camp, where the rebels had cabins erected for quarters; 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 143 

here another spirited engagement took place, the rebels 
retreating in the direction of Thomasville, the Federal 
forces still pursuing. 

Just above Thomasville the command encountered a 
strong picket force, fired upon the command, intending to 
halt it, but being satisfied that there was a trap laid I order- 
ed a charge. The picket force retreated to the left, up a 
steep hill, and at once the whole rebel force opened fire 
from the side of the mountain ; the bullets flew just above 
our heads like hail, one ball passing through my hat. 
We still continued the charge and on reaching the top of 
the hill, routed the whole rebel force and they again re- 
treated. The author marched into Thomasville, selected 
his camping ground inside of Captain Olds' barn lot, giv- 
ing us the advantage of the barn, in case we were attacked 
by a superior rebel force. I at once dispatched a forage 
train with strong escort to gather in all the forage 
possible, as it was very scarce in the country. After we 
had been in camp about an hour I inquired of Captain 
Olds if he knew of any corn. He said he did not. In 
about a half hour my attention was called by one of 
the captains pointing to a large smokehouse, and on 
looking, saw the soldiers taking down any amount of 
first-class corn. I informed the captain that Captain 
Olds had claimed that he had no corn ; to take the quarter- 
master and let him place a guard over the corn, to 
see that it was not wasted, and that it was properly 
apportioned. In a short time the author saw Captain 
Olds coming. He went to one of the other captains 
and inquired who the commander was. He was in- 
formed that it was Capt. Monks He came to the author 
laughing and remarked: "You found my corn, did 
you? I told you that I had none; I had to secrete 
it in that butlding to keep it so that the rebels 



144 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

could not find it." I just remarked to Captain Olds: 
"You needn't try to hide anything from these lop- 
eard Dutch, for I don't care where you put it they will 
find it." The men who discovered the corn were all 
Germans and belonged to a German company. He asked 
us to feed just as sparingly as possible and leave him a 
part of the corn, which we did. He then attempted to 
warn the author of his danger and asked him if he 
intended to camp there for the night; said that Colonel 
Freeman had over one thousand men which he could con- 
centrate within five or six hours and that he would 
cut the author's command all to pieces. The author 
replied to the captain that that was his business, that Free- 
man had come up on the scout and claimed that he was 
wanting a fight ; the author prepared for him and expected 
to accommodate him but he changed his notion and re- 
treated, devastating the country as he went, and now the 
author was hunting him and his forces and wanted to fight. 
If he came up that night and attacked the author's com- 
mand that it would save any more trouble hunting him. 

Just about that time the author saw the other part of 
the command approaching and called the attention of 
Captain Olds and asked him if he thought that was a part 
of Freeman's command. After looking a few minutes he 
said to the author: "They are Federal troops." I 
asked him if he thought we would be able to remain there 
until morning? He said that he thought we would and 
invited me to come into his house and eat supper. While 
at supper asked if we intended to march any further south. 
The author informed him that if his information was cor- 
rect in regard to Freeman's forces we were about as 
far away from home as we ought to get and that we had 
better move back in the direction of the post. The author 
ordered the command to be ready to march by early day- 



AND NOKTHIvKN ARKANSAS 145 

li5J:ht, next morning broke cam]:) and moved in the direc- 
tion of vSpring river. On reaching the head of Warm 
fork of vSpring river, we encountered another rebel force; 
had a short engagement, and th^}' again retreated. On 
reacliing the head of Spring river about the middle of the 
afternoon, we again met a rebel force; after consider- 
able firing the}^ retreated. 

The author moved up near the mill and went into 
camp. The mill was grinding corn with quite a lot of 
corn on hand, but the miller left and retreated with the 
rebels. The author soon placed a substitute in his place 
and the boys had a fine time baking corn cakes. 

After supper, some of the men had just retired to rest, 
when the rebels again made a fierce attack ; after fighting 
for twenty or twenty- five minutes they retreated a short 
distance and went into camp, the river dividing the two 
forces. During the night the two pickets would dare each 
other to cross the river. During the night there came a 
heavy rain and made the Warm fork of Spring river swim- 
ming; there was no way to cross except on the mill dam. 

The next morning about daylight the author ordered 
them to take the millstones and break them up and destroy 
the machinery so it would be impossible to grind; dis- 
mounted about one hundred men, placed them in hiding 
and marched away a short distance, thinking the rebels 
would cross over and we would surprise and capture them. 
But on seeing the Federals break camp and marching up 
on the west side of the river, they broke camp and marched 
up on the east side of the river. The author then mounted 
his men and marched up the Warm fork to where he effect- 
ed a crossing, marched about ten miles, went into camp for 
the purpose of getting breakfast. Just after breakfast, the 
author noticed the advance of a rebel force march out on 
another road ; as soon as they discovered that the Federals 



146 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

were in camp, they fell back and the author at once 
mounted his men. On the other road, as there was a con- 
siderable hill that hid them from sight, he formed his men 
in two lines in a V; detailed a strong advance force, or- 
dered them to move onto the rebels and charge them, and 
in case they found that they were too strong, to retreat 
back between the lines for the purpose of drawing the rebel 
forces in between the lines. After a fierce conflict, lasting 
but a few minutes, the rebels again retreated, leaving a 
reljel Major dead upon the ground. We then marched into 
Thomasville and had another running fight with the rebels, 
went into camp and the next morning marched back in the 
direction of tlie post at Licking, reaching the post about 10 
o'clock that night. The author again took command at 
the post and the Fifteenth Veterans returned to Rolla. 

Ridding the Country of Bushwhackers. 

It soon became very rare to hear of a rebel scout north 
of the mountain. Both rebel and Union men who claimed 
protection b}' the Federal authorities began to repair and 
improve their farms again. During the time that the 
author was in command of the post, which continued up to 
the time that peace was made, his command had routed 
and completely driven from the countr}' all irregular and 
roving bands of rebels and bushwhackers and had had 
numbers of small engagements in which there had been 
from eight}^ to ninety of the most desperate class of men 
that ever lived, killed, which was shown in the adjutant 
general's report. After they had been driven out of the 
county, thej^ located in the counties of Oregon, Shannon 
and Dent, and at once commenced pillaging and robbing 
all classes of citizens, irrespective of their political adher- 
ence. Col. Freeman sent a courier through the lines with 
a dispatch, stating the condition of affairs, and asking that 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 147 

an armistice be entered into between Col, Freeman's scouts 
and the scouts which might be sent out from the post, with 
an understanding that th.e^^ were going to aid each other in 
routing and driving out these irregular bands. 

While engaged in that work they were not to fire on 
each other, but to co-operate. The author was to enter 
into the agreement if it could be effected. Col. Freeman 
sent Capt. Cook into Oregon and Shannon counties to lo- 
cate those roving guerrilla bands, and in some wa}', un- 
known to either Col. Freeman or m3\self. the}' gained the 
information, and while Capt. Cook was in Oregon county- 
locating them, the}' waylaid him and killed him. Col. 
Freeman, realizing the fact that they had come into posses- 
sion of the whole scheme, came to the conclusion that we 
had better abandon the agreement. He organized scouts 
and captured and shot some of the most desperate char- 
acters that were leaders, while the author kept a vigilant 
watch to keep them from crossing over into Texas or ad- 
joining counties. At the time peace was made, it was ad- 
mitted by the law-abiding people, irrespective of party, 
that the command of Col. Monks had completely rid the 
country of all irregular bands of rebels and had made it 
safe, in a short time after he had taken command of the 
post, for forage trains and all other classes of citizens to 
pass on the wire road from RoUa to vSpringfield unmolested, 
and that very often they passed through without an escort. 

Battle at Mammoth Spring. 

Col. Wood, commanding the Sixth Missouri cavalry, 
left RoUa on the 7th day of March, 1862, with about two 
hundred and fifty men, for the purpose of making a scout 
south into the counties of Oregon and Howell and Fulton 
count}', Arkansas, to ascertain the strength of the rebel 
forces in that portion of the country ; reached Licking and 



148 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

went into camp. The next morning he broke camp and 
marched to Jack's fork, in Shannon county, and on the 
morning of the 9th marched to Thomasville ; on the lOth 
he marched to Mammoth Spring, Arkansas. On reaching 
Mammoth Spring they learned that there was a rebel force 
in camp on the south fork of Spring river, just below Sa- 
lem, and on the morning of the 11th they broke camp and 
marched upon the rebels. On reaching the rebel encamp- 
ment they found they had cut tim-ber and blockaded the 
iroad, so that it was impossible to reach the forces, except 
on foot. In coming within a few hundred yards of the 
rebels, lying concealed behind the timbers, they opened 
fire upon the advance of the Federal forces. The Federal 
forces had two small pieces of artillery that they unlimber- 
ed and brought into use. The rebels having no artillery, 
were soon dislodged from the first line of works, and they 
stubbornly fell back about one quarter of a mile, and went 
in behind the second fortifications that had been hurriedly 
erected. After fighting for an hour and a half or two hours 
the Federal force being greatly outnumbered, and the re- 
bels having themselves so obstucted. Col. Woods saw that 
it was useless to further continue the fight and retreated. 
On the next night he reached Howell Valley just below 
West Plains and \v'ent into camp and on the morning of 
the 13th they broke camp and marched in the direction of 
Houston, Missouri, reaching Houston sometime after night. 
The Federal loss in the battle referred to was seven killed 
and wounded. The Confederate loss was said to be 
twenty -five or thirty killed and wounded. Colonels Cole- 
man and Woodside were commanding the Confederates. 

Col. Woods being in command of the post at Houston, 
learning that there was considerable of a rebel force, stand- 
ing at West Plains, Missouri, under the command of Cole- 
man and others, organized a scout and on the 24th day of 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 149 

February, 1862, broke camp and marched in the direction 
of West Plains, for the purpose of attacking the rebel for- 
ces stationed at that place, taking two small mounted 
howitzers strapped on mules, made a forced march, and in 
the early part of the day on the 25th reached West Plains. 
West Plains had a frame court house in the center of the 
square where the present court house is located. The road at 
that time led due north where Washington avenue is located 
until it struck the hill; also there was a road whicli led east 
where East main street is now located and on passing what 
was known as the Thr>uias Howell farm, turned directly 
north in the direction of Gunters Valle}'. The rebels had 
a strong picket thrown out on both roads ; a part of the 
rebel command was quartered in the court house. Woods 
being advised of the condition of the rebels and where 
they were all quartered, supposing that they would take 
advantage of the court house when the attack w^as made, 
selected a high position where the road first struck the 
hill, planted his artillery, divided his forces and made a 
flank movement, ordered them to strike the lower road and 
advance on the pickets and as soon as they were fired up- 
on, to charge them, while he would remain with the other 
part of the force in readiness to dislodge them with his ar- 
tiller}' in case the}' used the court house as a fortification. 
On the advance coming in sight of the rebel pickets, they 
fired and retreated with the Federal forces pursuing. The 
rebel forces at once rallied their forces and took possession 
of the courthouse. As soon as Col. Woods sav*^ them file 
into the house he leveled his cannon and fired a shell which 
struck the house near its center and passed clear through ; 
that was the first artiller}^ that the rebel command ever had 
heard. They filed out of the house faster than the}' went 
into it; then Col. Woods moved with his forces directly upon 
the forces near the court house when a generel engage- 



150 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

ment ensued. The rebels retreated west on the road near 
where West Main street is now located and a running fight 
was continued for about one mile, when Woods abandoned 
the pursuit, marched back into West Plains, and again re- 
turned to Houston. The losses on both sides were light, 
several, however, being killed or wounded. 

"Uncle Tommy" and His Crutches. 

I wall relate an incident which occurred during the fight. 
Old "Uncle Tommy" Howell as he was familiarly known, 
resided just below the town spring a short distance from the 
road; he had a sister living with him who was an old maid, 
and was known as "Aunt Polly". Howell being one 
among the early settlers of Howell Valley, had taken an 
active part in organizing Howell county, which took its 
name from him and he had been once representative of the 
county. The author heard him relate the circumstance in 
a speech delivered in West Plains after the war was over. 
He said when the fight came up that he was sitting on his 
front porch: all at once he heard firing commence, and 
heard horses feet and saw the rebel pickets coming on full 
gallop horseback, with the Federals close onto them with 
pistols in hand firing on them ; he had been afflicted with 
rheumatism for years and one of his legs was drawn crook- 
ed and he hadn't attempted to walk without a crutch for 
several years ; when he saw the men coming and the others 
shooting at them, he supposed that every shot was killing 
a man ; he said they came right by his door and he never 
became excited while they Vv'ere psssing ; as soon fs they 
got near the court house they then made a stand, where it 
appeared to him that there were thousands of shots being 
exchanged every minute. They had all passed his house 
and he was sitting there unmolested, when his sister, who 
was known as "Aunt Polly" ran out on the porch and 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 151 

cried out at the top of her voice "Lord a massy, Uncle 
Tommy, run for your life; you have been a public man and 
they will kill you, sure." He said it so excited him 
that he sprang to his feet. All below his house the valley 
was covered with hazel brush and snow was lying on' the 
ground. He first looked toward where the firing was 
going on and said "My God! they certainly have got 
them very near all killed in this time" for he was under 
the impression that every shot killed a man. He started 
southwest from his house, ran about a quarter of a mile, 
jumped over behind a log; he had hardly gotten still when 
he imagined he heard the horses feet of the Federals in pur- 
suit of him ; he raised up and looked, could not see any 
person, so ran about another quarter, jumped over behind 
another log and as soon as he got still, the first thought 
came into his mind that they were still in pursuit, for he 
could hear the horses' feet, but on reflecting a moment he 
found that it was his heart beating ; he said he could still 
hear the firing and he thought thej^ intended to kill them 
all before they quit. He had a son-in-law bj' the name of 
Hardin Brown living on the Warm fork of Spring river, 
about twenty miles distant, and he started on foot and 
never stopped traveling until he reached his house. On 
reaching the house, his daughter asked him hov\\ in the 
name of God, he ever got there without his crutches. He 
said that was the first time that he had thought of his 
crutches. He began to notice his legs and the crooked leg 
was just as straight as the well leg. He said that it com- 
pletely cured him of his rheumatism and he had the use of 
that leg just the same as he ever did the other leg, and 
never used a crutch afterwards. After the war he removed 
to Oregon countj^ and was elected to the legislature, and 
died a member of the legislature. 



152 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Disposing of Union Men, 

In the spring; of 1862 there was a man by the name 
of Mawhinne)', living about six miles below West Plains, 
in Howell valle}-, a Union man, but who had taken no part 
either way, except to express an opinion. About fifteen 
men belong-ing to a rebel scout went to his house, called 
for their dinners, some of them had him shoe their horses, 
and after they had their horses shod and got their dinner, 
they told him that they wanted him to go with them. His 
wife said to them "It ain't possible that after you have 
been treated as kindly as you have been you are going to 
take Mr. Mawhinney prisoner; j^ou men certainly 
will not hurt him." They made no reply, carried him 
about one half mile from his home, shot him off of 
his horse, took the horse and Vv^ent on, leaving the 
body on the side of the road. His wife with what other 
^ help she could get brought him in and had him buried. 

About two weeks afterwards, in the spring of 1862, 
there was a man by the name of Bacon who lived near West 
Plains, who has some relatives living in this county at the 
present time. He was a Union man but had taken no part 
eitjier vv'ay, except to express himself openb/ in favor of 
the Union. There came a scout of about twenty men and 
arrested him, started west with him in the direction of 
vSouth Fork, and on reaching the vicinit}' where Honieland 
is located, left the road a short distance, shot him off of his 
horse. Went on to a house about one mile distant, called 
for their dinner. The woman in preparing dinner fried 
some bacon ; after they were seated at the table she passed 
the bacon to them ; several of them remarked that they 
didn't want any, that tlie}' had had some bacon, but had 
just disposed of it a sort time before they reached the house. 
After Bacon had laid where he fell dead for two or three 
days he was found and being considerably decomposed a 



AND NOKTHP:rN ARKANSAS 153 

hole was dug and the body placed into it and covered up, 
where his dust remains until the present day. 

Union Supplies Captured by Rebels. 

In the spring of 1862, the department commander re- 
established the military post at Springfield. All of the 
commissaries and forage had to be conve3^ed from Rolla to 
Springfield, as the terminus of the railroad was at Rolla, 
b}^ wagon trains, a distance of one hundred and twenty 
miles. It required a large escort of soldiers to guard the 
trains to prevent the rebels from capturing them. All of 
the country south of the wire road was in possession of 
the rebels. There was scarcely a wagon train that passed 
on the road without being attacked by the rebels. They 
made their attacks generalh^ on the front and rear of 
the trains, and before the wagon masters could corral the 
trains, they would capture some of the wagons, make the 
teamsters drive into the woods, cut the mules loose from 
the wagons, take sacks of coffee, salt, sugar and other 
commissaries, tie them on the backs of the mules, divide 
into small bunches and retreat into the hills. Ver}' often 
the escort would have to send back to Rolla for reinforce- 
ments. The train would be tied up from twelve to fifteen 
hours before it could move on. It became a mystery to 
the Federal commanders how' the Confederates could con- 
centrate a force ot men numbering from fifty to three hun- 
dred, and the first intimation the escort would have, the}', 
the rebels, would come out of the brush at some secluded 
spot, yeiling, whooping and shooting, and charge upon the 
wagon train. The}^ v/ould generally capture more or less 
of the loaded wagons with the above results, and it became 
a question with the military authorities at Rolla and Spring- 
field how to capture or rout these bands, and as to how 
they managed to keep that number of men near to the wire 



154 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

road and yet the Federals were unable to discover their 
hiding ]»laces. 

About the 15th day of x\ugust, the department com- 
mander ordered Capt. Murphy to take five hundred men 
and two pieces of artillery and move south from Rolla ; to 
go as far south as he thought it would be safe, without 
placing his men so far inside of the Confederate lines that 
they might be captured; and, if possible, to learn the rebel 
movements and location of their troops. Capt. Murphy 
broke camp at Rolla and moved south about fifteen miles, 
was fired on by the rebels from the brush, marched about 
twenty-five miles, went into camp; on the next morning 
resumed the march, hadn't marched more than five miles 
until they were fired on from the brush ; they were fired 
on four or five times that day, and went into camp near 
Thomasville. The next day he threw out skirmish lines 
on each side of his command, and resumed the march down 
the Warm fork of Spring river. There was more or less 
skirmishing all day. He camped on the Warm fork and 
the next morning marched over to the Myatt, where we 
had quite a skirmish. The rebels again retreated in the 
direction of the Spring River mill, where they were said to 
have a thousand men. 

Here the command countermarched back to Rolla, 
having captured fifty or sixt}' prisoners ; the PVderals had 
a few men wounded. 

In the spring of 1862, the Federal troops advanced 
on Springfield from Rolla. The rebels retreated west and 
the Federals again established a military post at Spring- 
field. The rebels continued to retreat west until they 
reached Prairie Grove, where they concentrated their 
forces and the memorable battle of that name was fought, 
the Federal troops being victorious. The Confederates re- 
treated from the state. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 155 

The military post at Springfield being over one hundred 
miles west of Rolla, the terminiis of the South Pacific rail- 
road, three -fourths of the distance being in possession of 
the rebels, all the forage and commissaries had to be con- 
veyed by wagon train. The main rebel forces having been 
driven from the state, and all of the country south of the 
wire road, with few exceptions, being in possession of the 
rebels, the Union men with their families having been 
driven from their homes. The leading Confederate officers 
met and held a council of war and decided to change their 
tactics. The first thing was 'to place two or three hun- 
dred well-armed Confederate soldiers south of and near 
the wire road leading from Rolla to Springfield, and so 
harass the wagon trains that the government wouldn't be 
able to get forage and commissaries through to Springfield, 
and thus force the Federals to abandon the post. In fur- 
therance of this move, thej^ ordered their soldiers to be 
taken near to the line of the road and divided into squads 
of from five to twenty -five men, conceal their arms and 
claim to be private citizens, live off the country and be so 
arranged that when a wagon train was about to leave Rolla, 
they could be called together on short notice; and when 
they wanted to make a more extensive raid. Confederate 
soldiers from as far south as the head of vSpring river would 
march up and meet them and make a general raid. 

The government had considerable trouble to learn the 
hiding places of these men, but they finally got officers who 
were acquainted with the countr}^ and men who were bona 
fide citizens, and knew who were citizens and who were 
not, and broke up their hiding places and drove them fur- 
ther south. It was learned that a part of this Confederate 
force was composed of men who claimed to be citizens 
when they were not making their raids. 



156 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Bravery of Captain Alsup. 

In the summer of 1863, the Federal authorities estab- 
lished a militar}' post at Clark's mill, in Douglas county, 
Missouri, on Bryant's fork of White river, erected a post 
and stationed some Illinois troops under the command of a 
Colonel, with Capt. Alsup's company, which was composed 
entirely of Douglas county citizens, in all about two hun- 
dred and fifty or three hundred men. Gen. Joe Shelby, a 
Confederate, with about five hundred troops, made a forced 
march from Arkansas and during the night time surround- 
ed the fort, and the next morning had his artillery in read- 
iness to open fire. He ordered a complete surrender of the 
garrison. The captaui of the fort asked for a few minutes 
to consider the matter; at the expiration of the time, the 
Colonel in command agreed to surrender, stack up the 
guns and side arms in the fort, march his men outside and 
make an unconditional surrender. When the commander 
of the fort ordered his men and oiiicers to stack their arms 
and march out, Capt. Lock Alsup and his company refused, 
and being cavalry, ordered his men to arm themselves and 
be ready to move whenever he ordered. While the com- 
mander of the fort was having the remainder of the garri- 
son stack their arms, Capt. Alsup and his company made a 
bold -dash for lilierty, came out of the fort shooting right 
and left, took the rebels by surprise, broke the rebel line, 
went through, being mounted on good horses, retreated up 
Bryant's fork with the rebels in pursuit. While going 
through an old field that had grown up to burrs about as 
high as a man's head, Fritz Krause, father of the assistant 
postmaster at West Plains, was thrown from his horse, 
rolled under the burrs, the rebels passed by and never saw 
him. He laid in the burrs until dark, then made his es- 
cape and rejoined his company at Springfield. The reb- 
els pursued them for about two miles, then returned to their 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 157 

command. Gen. Shells}' paroled the prisoners, and such 
things as he could not carry with him he destro3'ed, the 
fort being burned. He resumed his march in the direction 
of Springfield and was reinforced by about five hundred 
troops. During this time, Capt. Alsup and his men had 
reached vSpringficld and, strange to say, hadn't lost a man; 
had a few slightl}' wounded. Gen. Brown, who was in 
command of the post at Springfield, was said to be a 
brother-in-law of Gen. Shelby, and on Shelby's arrival at 
Springfield he demanded the surrender of the garrison. 
The Federal troops held a consultation and concluded to 
fight. After a brief engagement, Gen. Shelb}' drew his 
troops off and moved north; there were several killed and 
wounded on both sides. Gen. Brown's arm was broken 
by a piece from a shell. Gen. Shelby continued his raid 
towards the Missouri river, had several small engagements 
and then retreated from the state. Capt. Alsup and his 
brave men should be held in memory by all comrades, es- 
pecialh' by the loyal people of Douglas and Ozark counties, 
for their heroic action in charging^ through the rebel lines 
and makii]g their escape after the post commander had at- 
tempted to deliver them into the hands of the rebels. 

The fort at Clark's mill was never rebuilt. Capt. Al- 
sup and the loyal men of Douglas and Ozark counties and 
part of Wright county built a temporary fort near the cen- 
ter of Douglas count}', and old and young organized them- 
selves into companies and armed themselves. With the 
help of Capt. Alsup's company, they appointed a few of their 
men as scouts, while the others worked in their fields. 
The scouts were out night and day along the state line and 
if a rebel scout attempted to raid the counties, notice was 
given all along the line and the men were all up in arms 
and ready to meet the raiders. It reminds one of reading 
the history of the early settlements along the Indian bor- 



158 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

der. The settlers would build forts and put out sentinels; 
if the Indians were seen advancing, word was gi\'en and 
the families would hurry to the fort and the men arm them- 
selves to drive the invaders back. So this organization, 
with some assistance from the post at Springfield, held 
Douglas and a part of Ozark and Wright counties during 
the remainder of the Civil War, and after the war was 
over, Douglas county gained the title of "Old Loyal Doug- 
las County." These old soldiers and comrades are fast 
falling and ver}^ soon there will be none left to tell of the 
heroisms and sacrifices they luade for the country they 
loved. Will these comrades and their sons and daughters 
be so ungrateful that they will let their heroism and sacri- 
fices die with them and be forgotten, never to be written in 
history? The answer will be no, a thousand times no. 
Tiie historj^ of their heroism and sacrifices shall be written 
and go down to their children and their children's children, 
and may "Old Glory" ever wave over the country that they 
love so well and for which thtj' made so manj^ sacrifices. 

Bushwhacking in Howell County. 

The writer wants to say that there was not a Union 
man nor a single Union family left at home, from Batesville, 
Ark. to Rolla, Mo., a distance of two-hundred miles. The 
writer especially wants to speak for Howell Count5^ Mo. 
The rebels took quite a number of Union men from their 
homes and shot them, some of them being old men. I 
will name a few of them that were shot: Morton R. Langs - 
ton, the father of T. J. and S. J. Langston, while he was 
hauling wood; Jeff Langston, one of the firm of Langston 
Bros, was ridmg on the wood at the time his father was 
shot. I asked a leading rebel after the war, why they shot 
Langston. His reply was: "He talked too much." Shot 
Mawhinney, Ea:on and a number of others. Now I want 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 159 

to say right here, notwithstanding the treatment the Union 
men received from the rebels, not a single Confederate 
was ever taken from his home and shot or otherwise in- 
jured during the whole Civil War and no truthful Confed- 
erate will say to the contrar}^ There never was but one 
Confederate hurt after being taken prisoner in Howell 
County and he wasn't a citizen of Howell Count\' ; was 
said to be a north Missouri bushwhacker, charged with 
being one of the parties that shot old Mr. lyangston, Maw- 
hinney and Bacon. A Federal scout in the year 1864 
captured him below West Plains and the next morning 
they hung him to a smoke-house rafter. Notwithstand- 
ing a few of the friends of the bushwackers will tell to 
strangers that the writer shot a man in this count}', by 
the name of Hawkins, in the lap of his famil3^ which is a 
positive lie ; the facts are these ; Hawkins was one of the 
worst bushwhackers and murderers that ever lived in 
Howell County and was commanding a company of bush- 
wackers at the time he was shot. A short time before 
he was shot he had captured one of his cousins, by the 
name of Washington Hawkins, a Federal soldier, and taken 
from him a fine mare with his saddle and rig complete. 

In the spring of 1864, a battalion of the 11th Mis- 
souri Cavalrjs commanded b}' Col. Woods, had been 
ordered to report to Col. lyivingston at Batesville, Ark. 
The writer had been ordered to report at Rolla, Mo., with 
his command. Col. Woods had camped near West Plains 
the previous night, the next morning resumed his march 
towards Batesville; after he had passed West Plains a few 
miles, Hawkins and his bushwhackers fired on them from 
the brush and they continued to fire on them every few 
miles for sixteen miles. Our force met the force of Col. 
Woods at the state line where Col. Woods informed me 
hov>' the}' had been firing upon his men all morning. He 



160 HISTORY OF vSOUTHERN MISSOURI 

had taken a man prisoner by the name of William Krause, 
whom he turned over to me. Both forces resumed the 
march, he in the direction of Batesville, Ark., and I in the 
direction of Rolla, Mo. The prisoner told the writer that 
he knew the parties who had been firing on Col. Woods' 
command; that they had a camp by a pond in a secluded 
place, and were commanded by Hawkins and Yates; that 
it was about four miles almost west. I told Krause if he 
would place me on trail he could then go home. He 
did' so and I then released him. Krause said there were 
about fifty rebels in the command. 

We trailed them about two miles and came in sight 
of a house that belonged to old Mr. Newberry, a Union 
man. He and his family had been run off from home. 
I saw a horse hitched to the side of the door, and suppos- 
ed there were more inside of the house; there was a skirt 
of timber that enabled us to get within about sixtj^ yards of 
the house. I ordered my men, w^hen we reached a given 
point, to charge upon the house, dismount and reach the 
wall of the house and demand the surrender of all persons 
that might be within. We were about fifteen feet from 
the door when Hawkins came out and attempted to mount 
his horse. The author demanded his surrender, but he 
drew his pistol to fire, the author having his oistol already 
in hand and presented, fired on him; the author was sit- 
ting in his saddle when he fired on him. 

The men examined the house and found he was the 
only man in it. The horse he was riding was the one he 
had taken from his cousin, Washington Hawkins, a short 
time previous, with a government rig complete. Washing- 
ton Hawkins resided at Bakersfield, Mo., and got his horse 
and rig again. We took the trail again, but dark came on us 
and we lost it. These are the facts surrounding the whole 
case, the killing of Hawkins, one of the worst bandits and 



AND NORTHKRN ARKANSAS 1^>1 

guerrillas that ever roamed through South Missouri and led 
the worst band of men in the state. I had previously taken 
him prisoner and he took the oath of allegiance, went 
right back and joined his comman 1 and, if possible, he 
was worse than before. I must say that there are few men 
in Howell county that claim to be Confederates, who 
tell strangers that Monks shot Hawkins down in the lap 
of his family and that he, Hawkins, was a good man. 
The writer wants to say that no truthful Confederate will 
tell any such a thing; they will tell j^ou that Hawk'ins 
was a bad man. Ask such Confederates as Capt. Howard, 
Mark Cooper, Judge Dryer, John Le^lsinger, Harvey 
Kelow, Daniel Galloway, P. N. Gulley and a number of 
others, if Hawkins was a good man. 

The writer wants to say that he don't believe all the 
Confederates were in favor of killing and driving out 
the families of Union men, 1)ut the most bitter element 
got in power and being backed b}' the order of Gen. 
McBride, to force all the Union men to join the Con 
federate service, or liang them, those Confederates who 
were opposed to such treatment were afraid to open 
their mouths for fear they would receive the same treat- 
ment. You don't hear these sariie men, that talked about 
Monks shooting Hawkins, say a word about Hawkins 
and his bushwhackers shooting Union men all over Howell 
count}'. There never were but two houses burned in 
Howell county bj' the Union men during the Civil war, 
and houses owned by these men had been previously 
burned by the Confederates. The town of West Plains 
was burned by the Confederates to keep the Federals 
from holding a post at West Plains. 

The writer wants to say that on his return after the 
war, in the spring of 1866, he met the rebels, both those that 
had been officers and soldiers, and never spoke a harsh 



162 HrSTORV OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

word to them, asked them if they thought I)Oth parties 
could now live together; their answer was, that they 
thought they could. All that they asked was that 
they be protected. The writer assured them that both 
Federal and Confederates would be protected by the civil 
laws and all they would be asked to do would be to aid 
in a strict enforcement of civil laws, which they readily 
promised to do. The Union men who had returned to 
their homes and the late Confederates joined together 
and went to building and repairing old church houses and 
school -houses and soon were found worshiping together 
in the same church and sending their children to the 
same school -houses and the old ties that had existed be- 
fore the war were being re -united. The country appear- 
ed to be prosperous and the old war spirit appeared to 
be fast dying out among the people. 

I suppose the writer holds more commissions than 
any other man in the state, both military and civil and 
there never was a charge preferred against the writer of any 
failure to discharge his duties by the government or 
state. While in the military service thousands of dol- 
lars passed through the hands of the writer for forage 
and commissaries and ordinance stores and clothing, 
every dollar was accounted for and all contraband prop- 
erty was turned over to the government. I never con- 
verted, to my own private use, five cents of any man's 
property or money, before or after the war, in the war, 
nor since the war. 

The writer is now residing within about twenty -five 
miles of where his father located in the year 1844 and 
there are several persons yet living that have been in- 
timately acquainted with the writer since his Ivoyhood up 
to the present time, namely James Kellett, Sr., Marion 
Kellett, present county treasury of Howell countv. Wash- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 163 

iiigton Hawkins of Bakersfield, Mo., and quite a number 
of others that have I:)een acquainted with the writer 
from fort}' to fittj- years. The writer wants to sa}^ right 
here that he is not ashamed of anything he did before 
the war, in the war, nor since the war, and on his re- 
turn home to Howell county on meeting the late rebels, 
he never spoke a harsh word to one of them, but re- 
ceived them kindl}' and said to them that the civil laws 
should be strictl}- enforced against all alike, Confeder- 
ate and Federal. 

In the 3'ear 1861, sometime in the month of September, 
after the Federals retreated from Springfield, Mo. and the 
Confederates had taken possession of Springfield, there was 
one Capt. Brixey who was captain of a company of home 
guards residing in the edge of Webster County, Mo. ; soon 
after the Confederates took possession of the post, they 
ordered a captain belonging to a Texas regiment to detail 
one company and proceed to the residence of Capt. Brixey 
and arrest him. Capt. Brixey having no notice of the 
approach of the scouts, he and one of his men were sitting 
in the house; the first they knew thej^ had a line within 
thirty yards of his door, hailed them and presented their 
guns and demanded their surrender. Capt. Brixey said, 

"The you say." Both parties fired on each other 

about the same time, the man with Brixey fell dead, 
Brixey shot and kil'ed the Confederate captain and wound- 
ed one or two other Confederates ; he retreated through his 
house and into his orchard and made his escape; one of 
his arms was broken by the shot from the rebels from 
which he entirely recovered and lived many years after- 
wards, and has a son residing m this county at the present 
time. 



164 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Colonel Freeman's Second Raid. 

Sometime in the Spring of 1862 Col. Freeman, not be- 
ing satisfied with his first raid on the Federal troops at 
Salem, planned the second raid to attack the troops then 
stationed at Salem, Missouri; he organized his scout and 
compelled one Robert Bolin, who now resides in Howell 
County, to pilot him through the lines, as he, Bolin, had 
lived near Salem before the war, On reaching Salem, Col. 
Freeman halted his troops and planned his attack. 

The Federal troops had no knowledge of the approach 
of any rebel forces ; they were in squads around Salem. 
Freeman divided his forces and gave them a countersign 
and selected a spot near a deep ditch in the road and in- 
structed them, if they were defeated and got scattered to 
concentrate at that ditch which was beyond the Federal 
lines a distance of some miles; on reaching the ditch 
they were to remain until they all were collected. After 
the first ones reached the place, it being dark, if they saw 
others approaching they would halt them and demand the 
countersign, and if they couldn't give it they were to fire on 
them without any further delay, knowing thej^ were ene- 
mies. On reaching the public square the}^ encountered a 
bunch of the Federal troops in a building; fired on them, 
wounded a few, a man by the name of Jacob Shoffler now 
residing in Kowell County was in the house at the time, 
and they cut his clothes in about twenty different places 
with bullets and never drew blood; Maj. Santee w^as com- 
manding, with one other officer. After thej^ had rallied, 
all being in disorder, Maj. Santee ordered a charge on the 
rebels. Armed with an old pistol he met Col. Freeman of 
the Confederate side. Freeman had iust shot out; Maj. 
Santee ordered his surrender. Col Freeman started to 
run, Maj Santee in close pursuit, snapped his old pistol, 
which failed to fire. He then threw the pistol at Col. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 165 

Freeman, struck him somewhere betwen the shoulders, 
drew his sabre, and still continued the pursuit. There 
was a creek near by and a stone fence had been built along 
the side of it ; the creek had been frozen over and a skiff 
of snow on it at the time. Just as Freeman reached the 
stone fence Maj. Santee made a thrust at him with his 
sabre, inflicting a slight wound; about that time, for the 
purpose of escaping, Col. Freeman sprang over the stone 
fence and lit into the creek. Maj. Santee, being on 
horseback, could not pursue an}^ further. The rebels by 
this time were scattered in all directions, started to retreat. 
It being very dark, the first ones fifty or sixty in number 
reached the ditch, halted to wait for the remainder of them 
to collect. In a sh^rt time about thirty or forty more of 
them appeared in sight, retreating with considerable speed ; 
they were halted, the countersign demanded. The}' had 
become so excited in the fight they had forgotten the 
countersign and failed to give it. vSo those who arrived 
first opened fire and wounded several of them, scattering 
them to the woods. The^^ failed to concentrate until the}' 
had retreated south about 30 miles where they learned of 
the mistake the}' had made and that they had fired upon 
their own men. Maj. Santee being of the opinion that he 
had seriously wounded Freeman with his sabre, concluded 
to investigate. On reaching the stone fence where he made 
his leap tliey looked over into the creek on the ice and 
(Col. Freman being a large man) it looked like a large ox 
had been tlirovvn over from the hole that he made in the 
ice. They saw that he had crossed the creek and reached 
the other side and and saw no signs of blood. In the en- 
gage:iient there were abjut five or six wounded and killed. 
In the summer of 1863 there was a Federal scout or- 
ganized at Springfield, commanded by Col. Holland. It 
was ordered to move by way of Douglas county, get rein- 



166 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

forcements then stationed at the fort, and from there march 
through the county of Ozark. They entered the county of 
Fulton, Ark., where they had several small engagements. 
After considerable fighting and capturing a number of pris- 
oners, they returned to Springfield; loss, killed and 
wounded, very small. 

In the fall of 1863. Col. Tracy, with a force of rebels, 
made a raid from Fulton county, marched up through 
Ozark countjs and on reaching the Union settlement in 
Douglas county, he shot and killed nearlj^ every man he 
captured, robbed houses, took everything in the house and 
out of doors, and burned the houses as he went. After 
raiding and pillaging a number of houses, he came to a 
house where a Union man by the name of Mahan and one 
by the name of McCarty were working in the blacksmith 
shop, with their arms near them. They were members of 
the home guard. The rebels demanded the surrender of 
the two men, and as it was generally believed that if a man 
surrendered to those irregular forces that it was sure death, 
they refused to surrender. When the forces of Col. Tracy 
commenced firing through the cracks of the shop, the men 
returned the fire. Mahan killed one rebel, and they 
w^ounded two or three others. The rebels shot McCarty 
down, shooting him eight or ten times after he fell, knocked 
the door down and rushed upon Mahan. disarmed him, took 
him prisoner and then continued their retreat. After reach- 
ing Fulton county', near the bayou, they took Mahan into 
the woods, stripped him naked and shot him, leaving his 
body lying on the ground unburied. Strange to say, in 
regard to McCarty, after he had been shot eight or ten 
times and left for dead, he recovered from the wounds and 
became heart}- and stout. 

Some time in the early part of the spring of 1864, a 
man by the name of Mahan deserted from the 11th Missouri 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 167 

cavalry, stationed at Batesville, and on reaching Howell 
county, about two miles from where Valley Star school 
house is now located, a bunch of bushwhackers command- 
ed by B. F. Hawkins and Thomas Yates captured him, 
took him into the woods a short distance, stripped him 
naked and shot him, leaving his body lying on the ground, 
unburied. After he had lain there nearly a week, a man 
now residing in Howell county took a hoe and shovel and 
raked up some rocks and pitched them upon the decom- 
posed body and threw a few shovels of dirt on him. As it 
was but a short distance from the road, the stench from the 
decomposing bod}' was offensive to persons who trav- 
eled by. 

Col. Monks Enforces the Civil Law. 

In the month of July, 1865, the author was ordered to 
declare the civil law in force in the counties of Texas, Dent, 
Shannon, Oregon, Howell, Ozark and Douglas and report 
to his regiment again at Springfield for the purpose of being 
discharged. The long- looked -for and final result of the 
war had come with victory couched upon every man who 
had borne his flag to the breeze of his country, and to those 
who had lain themselves on the altar of their country and 
died that it might live. 

There was general rejoicing among the loyal people, 
that there was not a foot of territory on American soil but 
where the stars and stripes once more floated unmolested, 
either by foreign or domestic enemies, and while the Con- 
federates had fought manfully for what they conceived to 
be right, and had laid many of their sons on the altar and 
sacrificed them to a cause that they believed to be right, 
yet a large majority of them rejoiced when they learned 
that the cruel war was over. Although their cause was 
forever lost, yet the country that they had loved so well 
and the flag still floated and invited them back as erring sons. 



168 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

The 16th regiment, with a large number of other reg- 
iments, was discharged at Springfield. Then a scene en- 
sued that Americans had never witnessed before; the blue 
and the grey began to meet and greet each other as friends 
and seemed to forget that just a few months previous they 
had been meeting each other armed, for the purpose of 
slaying one another. A general amnesty proclamation had 
been granted by Gen. Grant to all the rebels who had sur- 
rendered. Their officers and commanders should discharge 
them and they should be allowed to retain their side arms 
for their own protection and return home for the purpose 
of again building up and establishing their homes; again 
meet their wives, their children, fathers and mothers, 
neighbors and friends, and once more be united in all the 
ties of love ; to again reinstate churches, and instead of 
studying and practicing the art of war, the3' should beat 
their swords into pruning hooks and aid in establishing and 
building up society and good government. 

But, lo! one of the most sad and heartrending scenes 
confronted many Confederates and Federals on returning to 
the places where they had once had happy homes and 
sweet families, they were not found. During the terrible 
war, many of the loved ones that they had left behind had 
been called from time to eternity. The home had disap- 
peared and nothing was left but the soil; all of the im- 
provements being entirely destroyed. But they, with the 
courage of heroes, gathered the fragments of their families, 
went to work improving and building houses, refencing 
their farms, reerecting church houses and school houses, 
and in a short time the men who had lately been enemies 
and borne arms against each other, were again neighbors 
and friends, associating together, sending their children to 
the same school, becoming members of the same chvtrch ; 
all experienced the difference between a civil war and peace 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 169 

and fraternity. Many of them expressed themselves that 
they had read of civil wars, but never realized the effect of 
civil war until after they had passed through the present 
one ; but they could not understand why they called it 
"civil" war, for if there was anything civil about the war 
they never experienced that part of it. 

The author's family had been residing at Rolla during 
most of the time of the war. He commenced making prep- 
arations to return to his home in Howell count}- in the fall 
of 1865. He began to organize an immigration party of 
men who wanted to locate in Howell county and a number 
of men who had left their homes in that county. Just a 
short time before the parties were ready to leave Rolla for 
Howell count}^ he was met by several men who asked: 
"Why, Monks, ain't you afraid to go back to Howell coun- 
ty? You have fought the rebels so bitterly and contested 
every inch of ground during the whole war, and some of 
them hate you so badly, that I would be afraid that they 
would kill me." the author replied that he felt like Gen. 
Putnam, when the British attempted to bribe him and said 
that the colonies never could succeed in gaining their in- 
dependence, and that he had better return and renew his 
allegience to the Crown. The General's reply was, "D — n 
a man that is not for his country." Now, ni}- reply to you 
is, that I have forfeited almost all of mj- means and shat- 
tered the happiness of my family in contending and fight- 
ing for the preservation of the government; besides, my- 
self and family have been exiled and banished from our 
home, and if the rebels had succeeded, all would have been 
gone. But now the government has been victorious in 
crushing the rebellion, liberty and protection have been once 
more guaranteed to every citizen, high or low, rich or poor, 
and, in the language of Gen. Putnam, I say, "D — n a man 
that is afraid to go back and enjoy the fruits of his victor}'." 



170 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Within a few days about twenty- five families left Rolla 
for West Plains, and on arriving at West Plains, went 
into camp. There was not a single building left in West 
Plains, as the Confederates had burned the whole town in 
time of the war, with the exception of one store building, 
which was burned by the Federal troops. The Confeder- 
ates' object in burning the town was to prevent the Feder- 
als from establishing a post. The author procured some 
cla])boards, built an addition to an old stable about two 
hundred yards south of where James' livery stable is now 
located. 

vSoon after wh had reached West Plains and gone into 
camp, Capt. Howard, Capt. Nicks and a number of other 
rebels who were residing in the county, came in, met the 
author and said to him: "Captain, I am proud to meet 
you." The author replied, "I am proud to meet you. 
What do think now in regard to the two parties living to- 
gether?" The}' said that they were satisfied that both par- 
ties could live together, that all they wanted was protection. 
The author remarked that the rebels had been in control of 
the country for several years, but the lo3'al men were go- 
ing to take charge of it and run it now, and as the loj-al 
men had been contending for the enforcement of the law 
and claimed that every American citizen was entitled to 
the protection of the law, the author could promise them 
that, if they would fall into line and help enforce the law, 
they should receive equal protection with any other class 
of citizens; to which they replied that they were willing to 
do so, but there were roving bands of rebels and guerrillas 
which had not been subject to the control of the Confeder- 
ate authorities, and still refused to lay down their arms, 
and might yet cause some trouble. 

The author w'as appointed sheriff of Howell county, 
W. Z. Buck circuit and county clerk and Peter Lem- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 171 

ons, Judge Alsup and were appointed county judges. 

There had been an old school house about a quarter of a 
mile east of West Plains that was still standing. They 
met at that school house, organized and set the civil gov- 
ernment of the county in working order. Soon after, Gov- 
ernor Fletcher ordered an election and the author was 
elected to the state legislature, tendered his resignation as 
sheriff, which was accepted and W. D. Mustion was ap- 
pointed to the vacancy. In a few weeks the author went 
to Jefferson City, tendered his credentials and was sworn 
in and became a member of the legislature. 

Fverything, so far as Howell count}' was concerned, 
appeared to move off quieth^ while the counties of Oregon 
and Shannon, with a few of the border counties, were en- 
tirely controlled by irregular bands of late rebels, who 
openly declared that the civil law should not be enforced 
in those counties; that the Confederacy was whipped, but 
they were not and they ititended to live off the government; 
they were armed to the teeth. 

During the winter of 1865 and the year 1S66, Howell 
county settled up faster than ever it had at any period be- 
fore the war ; the men who had homes in it and had been 
forced awa}' on account of the war, most!}' returned and 
commenced to improve their farms. Their houses, out- 
house and improvements, generally, having been destroyed, 
the soil was the onh- thing left. The town also built up 
rapidly and in the \-ear 1866 the inhabitants had increased 
to six or eight hundred. 

In the fall of 1866 at the general election the author 
was re-elected to the legislature and Capt. Alley, who 
had been a Confederate all through the war, was elected 
to the legislature from Oregon county. The author again 
qualified and was present in the legislature during the 
whole time, when the great question was brought up be- 



172 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

fore the legislature, as to what disposition the State would 
make of the first liens held by by the state on the differ- 
ent railroads for aid that had been given to the railroad 
corporations in the way of state bonds in 1850. In 1855 
the state issued her bonds, delivered them to the com- 
panies and they went east and put them upon the market 
in New York and Boston to procure money to construct 
roads, and the bonds with all the accruring interest, were 
due the state. 

Then for the first time the author learned that many 
of the men who had been selected to represent the peo- 
ple's interest in the State Legislature, failed to discharge 
the duties that their constituents had imposed upon them, 
betrayed their trust, and, through money, were entirely 
controlled in the interest of the railroad corporations. The 
author believing that it was one among the greatest duties 
that were imposed upon men of a representative govern- 
ment, to strictly contend and do all in his power to enact 
legislation in the interest of the people, therefore took a 
strong stand in favor of closing out all of the state liens 
against the different roads, held by the state. During the 
session of the winter of 1866 what was then known as the 
South Missouri Pacific, which terminated at Rolla, Mis- 
souri, was ordered to be closed out and the road declared 
forfeited. A resolution passed through both houses of the 
legislature ordering the Governor to seize it, and that said 
road be run b}' the state. In the meantime the Governor 
was to adverstise and sell it. The Governor by authorit}' 
of law advertised it and sold it for $550,000. Sometime in 
April the legislature adjourned, to meet in an adjourned 
session in December, 1867. The author returned home. 

The immigration into the country rapidl}^ increas- 
ing, prosperity appeared to be on every side; people had 
plenty of money, good crops, wheat was worth $1 to $1.50 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 173 

per bushel, stock of all kinds brought first-class prices, 
peace so far as Howell county was concerned, prosperity 
and the betterino: of the condition of society were moving 
hand in hand, and the author felt thankful that the war 
was over. 

Outlaw Rule in Oregon and Shannon. 

In the fall of 1867, the counties of Oregon and Shan- 
non, were still controlled b}' those roving bands of outlaws 
who ruled the counties with an iron hand. A despotism, 
unequalled at any stage of the war, existed there. There 
was a public gathering in the fall of 1867 in Thomasville. 
Col. Jamison, one of the leaders of these outlawed 
bands rode into town at the head of about fift)' men, well 
armed, shot two men's brains out, paraded the streets and 
swore that au}^ man that attempted to enforce the civil law 
against them, would fare the same; rode out unmolested 
and there was not a single attem]it made by the civil auth- 
orities to arrest one of them. In a few days Jamison with 
some of his men rode into town and a man by the name of 
Philip Arbogast, the father-in-law of Mr Hill, one of the 
firm of Hill- Whitmire Mercantile Co., now doing busi- 
in West Plains, who had been a Confederate all 
through the war, remarked in the hearing of Jamison, 
that the war was over, and he believed that the civil law 
ought to be enforced. Jamison at once dismounted, cock- 
ed his pistol, approached Arbogast and comenced punch- 
ing him with the muzzle of it until he inflicted some wounds 
remarking to him that if he ever heard of him uttering a 
word again in favor of the civil law being enforced that he 
would hunt him up and shoot his brains out. 

Some time previous to that occurrence, two men who 
had been discharged from the P'ederal army and had once 
resided in Oregon county, came into the county to look at 



174 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

their old homes. Col. Jamison, with about forty men, ar- 
rested them, took them to the house of the sheriff, inform- 
ed the sheriff that no "Feds'" could ever reside in Oregon 
count}', and no damn Black Republicans could ever cast a 
vote at an3' election that was held in the county; that they 
were going to make an example of the men, that others 
might take warning; that they were going to take them out 
far enough away that their stench would not anroy good 
Confederates. Accordingly, they started from the house, 
took them about one-half mile, stripped them naked, shot 
them to pieces, returned to the sheriff's house with the 
clothing, which was the uniform they had worn in the ser- 
vice, horse and mule and saddles which they had been rid- 
ing; gave the mule to the sheriff, took the horse with 
them, published what they had done, and said that those 
men shouldn't be buried and that if anj'- Confederate buried 
them, the)' would share the same fate. 

Capt. Alley, who had been a Confederate all through 
the war, but was an honest man and wanted to see the law 
enforced, informed Governor Fletcher of the condition of 
the county. Governor Fletcher at once appointed him an 
enroiling officer, ordering him to enroll and organize the 
county into militia companies, to form a posse-comitatus to 
aid the sheriff in enforcing the law. As sood as he received 
his commission, he rode into the different townships, put 
up his notices requesting the people to meet him for the 
purpose of enrolling. Jamison, with about forty men, rode 
into the township where his first meeting was to be, posted 
another written notice on the same tree, the purport of 
which was th.at if Capt. Alley, the old, white-headed 
scoundrel, appeared on the day to carry out the orders of 
the (Governor, he would meet him and shoot his old head 
off his shoulders. Alley, being satisfied that he would 
carry out his threat, went to the place before daylight and 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 175 

concealed himself nearby. About 10 o'clock on the day 
appointed, Jamison and abont forty followers came charg- 
ing in on their horses, revolvers in hand, cursing and de- 
claring that they would like to see the old white-headed 
scoundrel put in an appearance so they could make an ex- 
ample of him; that the}' didn't intend to let any man en- 
force the law against them. As soon as they retired Alley 
returned home and wrote to the Governor again, stating 
the acts, conduct and threats that Jamison had openly 
made, and that troops would have to be sent into the coun- 
ties to aid him and others in organizing, so the civil law 
could be enforced. He asked the Governor to appoint 
Capt. Monks to command the troops which he might send. 
The author received a letter from the Governor in- 
forming him of the condition; also stated in the letter that 
while Howell count}' was peaceable and law abiding, 
that her citizens were not safe, bj' any means, while such 
a desperate bind of outlaws were right at their very door, 
bidding defiance to the civil law, committing all manner of 
crimes from murder down and begging the author to con- 
sent to his being appointed Major of vState troops; that he 
would make an order for the author to organize the men 
in the county of Howell and include Howell county in his 
order, delcaring them to be under martial law especially 
when it had been requested by Capt. Alley, who had l)een 
a life -long Confederate. The author took the matter 
under advisement, and as Jamison, with his band of men, 
had threatened time and again to raid Howell county and 
kill the author with other Union men, he decided to give 
his consent to the Governor, wrote him wlule he reluctantly 
would consent to accept the appointment he had thought 
that he had discharged his duty in the late war and would 
not be required to take pari in any further militar}^ opera- 
tion. 



176 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Colonel Monks Commissioned by the Governor. 

The governor at once appointed and commissioned the 
author Major of state troops and ordered him to at once 
proceed and organize a company of militia, and at the same 
time sent one hundred Springfield rifles and one hundred 
rounds of amunition for each gun. And soon as it was 
organized, he was to proceed to Oregon county, for the 
purpose of aiding and supporting Captain Alley who had 
been appointed enrolling officer of Oregon count}', to en- 
roll and form companies for the purpose of aiding the 
sheriff in enforcing the civil law. He was to pursue, ar- 
rest and drive out those roving bands of murderers from 
the counties of Oregon, Shannon and Dent. The author 
at once organized a company in Howell county, com- 
posed of men who had been in the Confederate and Fed- 
eral service. On Jamison and others in Oregon county 
learning that the author had been appointed Major and that 
he was organizing, and the state was arming the men 
with orders to enter the counties of Oregon, Shannon 
and Dent to drive out the murdering bands and aid 
Captain Alley in organizing a posse comitatus to aid the 
sheriff in enforcing the civil law, the}^ publicly declared 
that "old Monks might get into Oregon county but that 
he would never get out alive. 

At that time there was a secret order in the counties of 
Oregon and Shannon known as the Sons of Liberty. The 
author was informed that on a certain night they would 
hold a meeting on Warm fork of Spring river. The auth- 
or made a forced march and, on reaching the place where 
they had assembled, surrounded the house and took all the 
inmates prisoners, among them being the sheriff of the 
county and a few other prominent men. The next morn- 
ing Capt. Alley met the author, put up his notices order- 
ing every man to come in and enroll his name. The auth- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 177 

or remained over the next day near the place, got in po<^- 
session of their papers, with a secret oath placed upon 
them, and the aims and objects, binding themselves to- 
gether to prevent the enforcement of the civil law, and fur- 
ther binding themselves to capture or take property from 
any man who had been in the Federal army, and, when it 
became necessary to enforce it, to shoot men down. They 
claimed to have lawyers connected with it, so that if they 
should be arrested they were to make a pretense of a trial 
and allow no man to go onto thejurj' except those who be- 
longed to the order. 

Capt. Greer, who had been a Captain in the Confeder- 
ate service all through the war, and afterwards was elected 
to the state legislature, remarked that, "I can soon tell 
whether those grips, obligations and oaths were in the or- 
ganization known as the Sons of Liberty;"' said that "Old 
Uncle Dickey" Boles, a short time previous, came to him 
and informed him that the Sons of Liberty were going to 
hold a meeting in a big sink on the mountain and they 
wanted him to come and join it; that he was looked upon 
as a business man and he didn't know anything about what 
was going on right at his door; that if he would come and 
join it, in a few years he would be a rich man. Capt. 
Greer said he replied to him, "Uncle Dickey, I have al- 
ways been an honest man and have worked hard, and if a 
man can get rich in two or three years by joining that or- 
der, there must be something dishonest in it." Old Un- 
cle Dickey replied: "You won't be in a bit of danger in 
joining it, for we are so organized that the civil law can't 
reach us." Capt. Greer said he had a son-in-law who was 
requested, at the same time he was, to attend the meeting, 
and that after the meeting he saw him and asked him what 
kind of an organization it was. He said his brother-in-law 
told him, "I dare not tell you; I took the bitterest oath 



178 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

that I have ever taken iu my life not to reveal the workings 
of the order on penalty of death. But I will tell you 
enough; Captain, I know that you are an honest man and 
that that organization is a damn jd^'-hawking institution, 
and you want nothing to do \\ ith it." Captain Greer at 
o;ice sent for his brother-in law; he came, and the signs, 
grips and by-laws that were captured at the place of the 
meeting w re submitted to him and he said he believed they 
were word for word th*^ same, and contained the ver}' same 
oath that they swore him to on the night that he went to 
their meeting. 

The author was informed that Jamison was then \y'n\g 
in wait on the road that led from Warm Fork to Frederick 
Fork townshi]). the next place where Alley had notified 
them to meet, waiting for the author to pass with his men, 
so that lie might fire on them from the brush. Then the 
hardest ta.sk confronted the author that he ever had had to 
meet, to study out a plan to prevent Jamison firing on his 
men from the bush as he marched b}'. He held four men 
as prisoners, whom he knew were Jamison's right-hand 
bowers; he had just been informed that Jamison had a spy 
then on the ground to learn the time the author would 
break camp and move in the direction of Fredericks Fork. 
He ordered a wagon brought up with three spring seats, 
took the four prisoners and set them in the two front seats, 
tied a small rope around their bodies and around each seat, 
with two guards in the back seat; then arrested Jamison's 
spy, informed him what his business was, which he admit- 
ted and said that Jamison was lying in wait to learn what 
time I would move out, and that he intended to fire on me 
as soon as I came within reach. I took him to the wagon 
and asked him if he was acquainted with the prisoners. 
He said that he was. "Well," said I, "I am going to re- 
lease you and I want you to go and tell Jamison that, just 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 179 

as certain as he fires from the brush and kills one of my 
men, I will retaliate by killing these four men, whom I 
know are his right-hand bowers." The author also wrote 
a letter containing the same statement, and sent another 
man, who was a Confederate, with Jamison's spy, to see 
that the message was delivered. 

On reaching Jamison, they delivered the message and 
informed him of what I had said, and told him that there 
was no possible chance for these men to escape, for there 
was a rope tied around each man's body and fastened to 
the spring seat, and they were also under a strong guard. 
The man who went to carrj' the dispatch said that after 
Jamison read it, he appeared to be in trouble and remarked: 
"Well, we will have to desist and not fire, for just as cer- 
tain as we fire on him and kill some of his men, he is sure 
to kill our men." One of the prisoners, after he was placed 
in the wagon and heard the message sent to Jamison, re- 
marked to the other prisoners: "We are dead men, for 
Jamison is sure to fire on them." We soon broke camp, 
and on reaching the place where Jamison had been waiting, 
saw the camp fire and where their horses had been tied and 
fed, but there was not a man to be seen, neither was there 
a gun fired. 

On reaching Fredericks Fork township, Capt. Alley 
made a speech to the people and said, among other things, 
that the counties of Oregon and Shannon had been con- 
trolled by one of the most desperate class of men that ever 
lived. That thej^ had ridden through the country on 
horseback, heavily armed, defying the enforcement of the 
civil law, intimidating the people, both Federal and Con- 
federate alike, and committing all manner of crimes, rob- 
bing and murdering the people and boasting openly that the 
damn Confederacy was whipped, but that they were not 
and intended to live off the damn "Feds." Now the war 




COL. AND MRS. MONKS AT CLOSE OF WAR. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 181 

is over and all good citizens, be they Federal or Confederate, 
should be in favor of the enforcement of the civil law. "I 
am ordered by the governor of the state to enroll all able- 
bodied men in the county to form a posse to aid the sheriff 
in enforcing the law in Oregon county; I am to organize 
companies to enforce the civil law. These bushwhackers 
and thieves have terrorized this county long enough. The 
governor has sent Capt. Monks, a man who is not afraid 
of bushwhackers and thieves, into this county to arrest 
these bushwhackers, thieves and murderers and bring them 
to justice. If the people of this county want the civil law 
enforced, they should aid Capt. Monks and his men to 
hunt these fellows down and either arrest them or drive 
them from the county. Our people have been present and 
saw these men commit all manner of crimes, from murder 
down to the smallest crime known to the criminal code. 
They have done this openly and the people were afraid to 
open their mouths or say a word against it, on penalty of 
death. I wrote the governor, stating the condition of af- 
fairs in this county, that neither person nor property were 
safe, and to send Capt. Monks to this county. And he has 
sent him and we have got the right man in the right 
place." 

One of the prominent men of Oregon count}'' went to 
Jefferson City to see the governor to procure the removal 
of the writer and have Col. A. J. Sea appointed in his 
place. He said to the governor that Capt. Monks was 
arresting some of the best men in Oregon county and had 
them prisoners. The governor showed him some of Capt. 
Alley's letters that he had written to the governor. The 
letters stated among other things that persons and property 
were at the mercy of these desperadoes and the county 
was being terroized by James Jamison and his men ; that 
they were robbing whom they pleased openly ; that a day 



182 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

or two before he, Alley, wrote the letter, that Jamison 
shot a man's brains out in Thomasville, and dared any 
man to say he was in favor of the enforcement of the civil 
law, that he would serve him the same way. The gover- 
nor asked him if those things were true, and he replied that 
they were; the governor said to him: "You are a leading 
man in that county and a citizen of Thomasville and never a 
word have you written to me that such terror and lawless- 
ness existed in your county." He replied "Governor, I 
was afraid to." The go\'ernor replied to him, "when I 
send a man down there that is not afraid to handle those 
men without gloves, then here you come with a howl. Now 
I expected when I sent Capt. Monks down there, if he did 
his dut5^ that there would be a howl raised; I am satis- 
fied that he is doing his duty. I am responsible for his 
acts and j^ou men want to get rid of him ; go home and 
tell your people to organize companies under Captain Al- 
ley and aid Captain Monks and his men in arresting and 
driving those bushwhackers and bandits out of your coun- 
try and whenever Captain Monks reports to me that the 
person and property of your citizens are secure and that 
the civil law is being enforced, he will be removed, and 
not before." 

Thej' then employed Colonel A J. Sea as an attorney.. 
Some time during the night, while we were encamped on 
Fredericks Fork, some of the soldiers took the sheriff out 
and put a rope around his neck to make him tell where 
the bones of two soldiers were, who were murdered by Jam- 
ison and his men. He admitted that he knew where the 
bones of the two Federal soldiers were ; that after they 
shot them Jamison gave him the mule and saddle that 
one man was riding ; that he was afraid not to to take them 
and promised as soon as the command reached Thomasville 
to go and show the bones. On the next morning after our 




^ 



184 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

arrival at Thomasville I procured a big box and placed it 
in a wagon and brought the sheriff from the guard house 
and set him on a box under a strong guard. About that 
time Colonel A. J. Sea came up and asked what we 
were going to do with that man. I told him "That 
is mj' business ; when you was in the military service 
did you inform the civilians of your object and aims? 
You are a civilian now and I will give you five minutes 
to get outside of the lines or 3^ou will go into the guard 
house." He took me at mj' word and left at once. 

The sheriff piloted the scout to the bones of the 
men that had been murdered, and the sheriff, aided by the 
scout, picked up the bones and placed them in the box. 
On examination it was found that three bullets had 
passed through one of the skulls, and the other skull 
appeared to have been shot all to pieces. I brought the 
bones in and caused them to be buried in a cemetery, 
about one mile west of Thomasville. 

Captain Alley had completed the organization of two 
companies, one commanded by Captain Lasley and the 
other by Captain Bledsaw. The companies were mostly 
composed of men who had been late Confederates, as 
there were very few Union men in the country. They 
immediately fell in with my soldiers and a vigorous 
search was at once made for Jamison and his men. Be- 
ing aided by men who were thoroughly acquainted with 
the county and knew just where to look for Jamison 
and his cut-throats, they agreed to keep on Jamison's track 
and arrest him and his men if possible, in Oregon county. 
I moved my troops up into Shannon county to prevent 
Jamison and his man from crossing over into Shannon 
and scouted that county to keep them from hiding there. 
The Oregon county companies shot and killed some of 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 185 

them and arrested others. Jameson and the others left the 
county and never have returned to it since. 

But they left some of their sypathizers in the county, 
and the only weapons left them were their tongues; hav- 
ing no conscience or principle, and instigated by the wicked 
one, they began lying and preferring all manner of charges 
against the writer and his men who went into the county 
and, by the aid of the law-abiding citizens, drove out and 
arrested one of the worst set of men that ever lived, the 
savage not excepted, and restored the civil law, so that 
ever}' citizen was secure in person and property. 

The writer informed the governor that a large majority 
of the citizens, both Confederate and Federal, had nobly 
responded to his call, had organized two companies of mil- 
itia to aid the sheriff in the enforcement of the civil law; 
Jamison and his bushwhackers had either been arrested, 
killed or driven from the county, and the strong arm of the 
military law was not needed any longer. 

On December 25, 1867, the writer was ordered b}' the 
governor to withdraw his forces from the counties that had 
been placed under martial law and declare the civil law to 
be in full force and effect. I accordingly returned to How- 
ell county and disbanded my soldiers. 

During my march and stay in the counties of Oregon 
and Shannon, it was admitted bj' all honorable Confeder- 
ates that I had enforced a strict discipline over my men 
and protected all classes of citizens in person and property, 
had paid the people for all forage and comissaries that were 
required for the soldiers, and had driven out the worst set 
of bushwhackers, thieves and murderers that ever lived. 



186 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 



REMINISCENCES. 



In the spring of 1866 the loyal men had mostl}^ re- 
turned to their homes; among them, Benjamin Alsup, who 
had been taken prisoner by the rebels in 1861 and confined 
in the penitentiary at Little Rock, Ark. He was released 
in 1865, when peace was made. There was but one house 
left in West Plains, an old school house about one-quarter 
of a mile east of the town spring, which was used for a 
court house. Judge Van Wormer, who resided at Rolla, 
was judge of the circuit court and Mr. Perry was circuit 
attorney. A short time after the return of Mr. Alsup, a 
public meeting of the loyal men was called, signed by sev- 
eral loyal men. At the date set the writer was present. 
The meeting was called to order and Mr. Alsup was elected 
chairman. He stated the object of the meeting, and among 
other things said: "The rebels have hung, murdered, 
imprisoned and driven all the Union men from their homes, 
and by the living, they didn't intend that a single rebel 
should live inside the limits of Howell county." He was 
in favor of giving them ten days' notice to leave the coun- 
ty, and if they were not gone by that time, to shoot them 
down wherever found. Someone introduced a resolution 
that the rebels be notified to leave with their families inside 
of ten days or they would force them to leave. The reso- 
Itition was seconded, I got the floor and spoke as follows: 
"If that course is pursued, it will ruin the county; peace 
has been made and Gen. Grant has ordered the rebels to 
return home and become good citizens. Admitting that 
everything Mr. Alsup has said is true and we were to turn 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 187 

around and do the same that they did, we would be just as 
guilty as they were, and it would be a question of might 
and not of right; and I want to say here now, if any man 
injures a late rebel, except in self-defense or in defense of 
his family or property, I will prosecute him to the bitter 
end of the law."' Mr. Alsup called another man to the 
chair and replied to what I had said, saying: ''By the liv- 
ing, I am surprised at Captain Monks, a man who has been 
treated by the rebels as he has, who now gets up here and 
says he will defend the rebels ; bv the living, I want Capt. 
Monks to understand right here, now, that if any loyal man 
kills a rebel and has to leave the country, and has no horse 
to ride, I will furnish him a good horse to ride off on; and 
bv the living, let him prosecute me ; he will have a sweet 
time of it." The next man that took the floor was a Mr. 
Hall, who resided about eight miles south of West Plains. 
He said: ''I am just like Uncle Ben; if any loyal man 
kills a rebel and has to leave the country, I will furnish 
him a good horse to ride off on, and let Captain Monks 
prosecute me if he wants to; I don't think it would be 
healthy for him to prosecute me for killing a rebel or help- 
ing a man who did kill one." The resolution was put to a 
vote and lost by a good majority. 

Later in the spring, there was a man by the name of 
Finley living seven or eight miles south of West Plains ; 
the family was composed of husband and wife, both of them 
about sixty -five years of age, a daughter of twenty -two 
3'ears and a son of about eleven. They had been rebels, 
but were very quiet and peaceable citizens; they were re- 
siding on government land, had good improvements and a 
good orchard. There was a man bj' the name of Freder- 
ick Baker who had homesteaded the land Mr. Finley was 
living on. Baker notified Finley to leave in ten da^^s; iff 
not out in that time, they would be killed. Mr. Finley 



188 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

wanted pay for his improvements before giving possession. 
At the expiration of ten days, very early in the morning 
Mrs. Finley went into the lot to milk the cows; Baker 
slipped up to the lot and with a Colt's revolver shot the old 
lady dead. The daughter saw her mother fall, ran to her, 
and he shot her; she fell by the side of her mother. The 
old man ran to the door, reached up to get his gun out of 
the rack, when Baker placed his pistol against his body and 
shot him dead. The pistol was so close to Finley when 
discharged that the powder set his clothes on fire. The 
boy was the only one of the family left; he ran to the near- 
est neighbor for help and when they got back to the house 
they found the old man and his wife dead and the daughter 
shot through the breast, maimed for life. The old man's 
clothes were still on fire when the neighbors arrived. 

Hall made his words good for he furnished Baker 
with a first-class horse, saddle and bridle, to leave the 
country on and aided Baker in making his escape. As 
soon as the writer learned of the murder he caused an 
affidavit to be made and procured a warrant for the arrest 
of Baker and had it put into the hands of the sheriff and 
did all in his power to cause Baker's arrest, but by the 
aid given him by Hall and others he made his escape. 
The writer reported the murder to the Governor and the 
Governor offered a reward of three hundred dollars for 
Baker's body, dead or alive. Baker never was arrested. 

The writer was appointed assistant prosecuting attorney 
by Mr. Perry, who was Circuit Attorney at that time. 
After I qualified I caused an affidavit to be made 
against Mr. Hall charging him with being an accessorj^ to 
the murder before the fact and caused his arrest. I was 
at once notified that if I attempted to prosecute Hall I 
would meet the same fate as the Finley family. Hall 
was arrested, and the day set for his preliminary trial at 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 189 

the school -house east of town. On the day set for trial 
there were quite a number of persons present; the writer 
appeared, armed with a good pistol, laid it by his side 
during the progress of the trial ; it was proven by the state 
that he, Hall, was guilty as charged. The justice held 
him over to wait the action of the grandjury and ordered 
him to enter into a recognizance of two thousand dollars 
for his appearance at the next term of the Howell county 
circuit court, which he readily filled and was released. 
Soon after his release he took the fever and died. Baker 
never was captured. It was one among the dirtiest mur- 
ders that ever was committed in Howell county. 

Gen. McBride, before the war, resided in Texas coun- 
ty, on a farm, and was circuit judge of the 18th judicial 
circuit, which included Howell county. He enlisted in the 
Confederate army and was placed in command of the Con- 
federate troops at West Plains. The Union men well re- 
member his famous order, given in the spring of 1861, that 
all Union men join the Confederate service, and if they 
didn't join the Confederate armj^ he would hang them as 
high as Haman. After his term of service expired, he 
moved his family to near Batesville, Ark., where he resided 
up to near the close of the war. He was taken sick and 
died in the spring of 1866. Some of the friends of the 
widow in Texas count}' sent after her and her family to 
bring them back to her farm. Reaching West Plains on 
their return, they were out of money and provisions. They 
asked the people to help them and a donation was taken up 
for her in West Plains ; I donated five dollars to help her 
back to her home in Texas countj'. 

After the loyal men had returned to their homes and 
the civil law had been fully restored I brought suits by 
attachment against the following persons, to- wit: William 
Nicks, N. Barnett, for aiding the parties in arresting and 



190 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

taking me from my home and abusing me while a prison- 
er. I attached their real estate which was well improved 
and valuable; procured a judgement of $8,000.00 against 
said real estate, procured an execution and ordered the 
sale of said real estate. Before the time for the sale Bar- 
nett and William Nicks came to me and admitted that 
Barnett was 1st Lieutenant and Nicks 2nd Lieutenant of 
Capt. Forshee's Confederate company, while I was held 
prisoner by said company and that I was shamefully and 
cruelly treated while a prisoner, but they were sorry for 
what they had done and hoped I would forgive them. 
Nicks further said to me, that he had saved my life; that 
while I was a prisoner, he overheard some of the Confed- 
erate soldiers agree that on the next night while I was 
asleep thej^ would slip up and shoot me in the head, 
and he got his blankets and came and slept with me. 
I knew that Nicks brought his blanket and slept with me 
one night, but did not know why he did it. 

Nicks and Barnett further said, "Captain you have 
us completely at your mercy ; we believe you are a good 
man and we were friends before the war. You have a 
judgement against our homes and if you sell them you 
will turn us and our families out of doors and leave 
us destitute without any homes for our wives and chil- 
dren." I said, "I know it is hard, for my wife and 
children were driven from their homes because they were 
loyal to their government; but children shouldn't be held 
responsible for the acts of their parents and I will say 
to you now that I won't sell your homes, I will giye 
them to your wives and children ; we are commanded in 
the best book of all books to do good for evil ; you men 
can each one pay me a small sum for expenses and I will 
satisfy judgement." Barnett paid me $150. Nicks made 
a deed to some tax lands and I entered satisfaction on the 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 191 

judgements. They both said to me that thej' ever would 
be grateful for what I had done for them. 

The country' began to settle up and the people, irre- 
spective of past associations, formed new ones, especially 
the sons and daughters of those who wore the blue and 
the gray, and seemed to forget that the}' had ever 
been enemies. As time sped on these attachments ripened 
into love. I had but two daughters living. Nancy E. 
Monks, the oldest, married V. P. Renfrow, the son of a 
Confederate; the}' have two children, a son, Charles, and 
a daughter, Mattie M., now grown. Mary M. Monks, who 
married H. D. Green, whose father, a Confederate colonel, 
died in the service. The}' have five children living and 
one dead, one girl and four boys. Their children are Mat- 
tie E., now Mattie E. Bugg; Will H. D., Frank, Russell 
and Dick. Adeline Turner, whom I had raised, married 
Jacob Schoffier, a Union soldier, and has ten children, four 
boys and six girls. Abraham Roach, a boy who had made 
his home with me since infancy, married Mattie Hunt, a 
daughter of Jesse Hunt, a Union soldier, has three children 
living, two girls and one boy, Maggie, Frank and Bernice. 
I don't believe that there is anv person that loves their 
children better than I do, and I don't see any difference 
between my grandchildren and my own children. I love 
my sons-in-law as well as my own children; I love the 
girl and boy that I raised, and their families feel as near to 
me as my own. They are flesh of our flesh and bone of 
our bone, and our highest duty to God and them is to teach 
them patriotism and loyalty to their government and that 
their first duty is to God and their second duty to their 
country. 

God forbid that we ever have any more civil war. 
War is the enemy of good society, degrades the morals of 
the people, causes rapine and murder, destroys thousands 




FRANK GRE£N AND CHARLES RENFROW. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 193 

of lives, brings misery and trouble upon the whole people, 
creates a govenimeut debt that our children will not see 
paid, makes friends enemies. God forbid that any more 
sectional strife ever may grow up among the people ; may 
there be no North, no South, no East, no West, but let it 
be a government of the whole people, for the people and 
by the people. May the time speedily come when the civ- 
ilived nations of the earth will know war no more ; when 
the civilized nations meet in an international congress, pass 
an international law that all differences between nations 
shall be settled by arbitration. May this nation in truth 
and in deed become a Christian nation and every man speak 
the truth to his neighbor and adopt the Golden Rule, "Do 
unto others as you would have them do unto you." 

I take pleasure in giving the names of some of the 
loyal men who resided in Howell county in 1861, at the 
commencement of the Civil war, who stood for the Union 
in the dark hour when patriotism and loyalty to country 
were tested: John McDaniel, sr., John McDaniel, jr., 
Jonathan Youngblood, George Youngblood, David Nich- 
olass, Thomas Wallace, Martin Keel, Thomas Nicholass, 
Newton Bond, William Hardcastle, Siras Newberry, 
William Newberry, David Henson, John Black, sr., 
Daniel Black, Peter Lamons, John Damons, Solomon 
Damons, Thomas Damons, Thomas Brisco, Morton Dang- 
ston, Stephen Woodward, Seth P. Woodward, Dr. D. D. 
Emmons, Alfred Mustion, W. D. Mustion, John Mustion, 
Wesley Cordell, Hugh Cordell, William Maroney, Henry 
Maroney, Collins Coffey, John Coffey, William Coffey, 
John Chapin, Silas Chapin, Benjamin Alsup, Andrew 
Smith, Andrew V. Tabor, Josiah Carrico, Josephus Carrico, 
John Dent, Esau Fox, Thomas O. Brown, Jacob Shoffler, 
Thomas Rice, sr., Thomas Rice, jr., John W. Rice, 
Nathaniel Briggs, Captain Dyle, Rhodes, Jesse 



194 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

Hunt, Joseph Spears, James West, Jesse West, Dent 
West, Thomas Kelley. 

I will give the names of a few of the men of Douglas 
county who remained loyal to their country in 1861: Jo- 
seph Wheat, John Wheat, Ervin King, John Coats, Locke 
Alsup, William Alsup, Thomas Alsup, Jack Alsup, Shelt 
Alsup, Aaron Collins, William Collins, Toodie Collins, 
Doc Huffman, Jariah Huffman, Madison Huffman, Wil- 
liam Huffman. 

I will give the names of a few of the men who resided 
in Ozark county, at the commencement of the war, who re- 
mained loyal to their country in the dark days when it 
tried men's souls to be loyal: James Kellet, sr., Marion 
Kellett, Washington Hawkins. Jesse James, William James, 

Brown, R. R. Gilliland, Nace Turley, Washington 

Webster, Dick Webster, Macajar Foster, Jacob Foster, 
Henry Saunders, Stephen Saunders, Allan Saunders, Alex- 
ander Huffman, James Hall, Bennett James. 

I would love to have space to tell of the patriotism, 
heroism and devotion to their country, besides their good 
citizenship, of the men of Howell, Douglas and Ozark 
counties, but suffice it to say that there never was the same 
number of men, at any time, who made more sacrifices for 
the preservation of their country than did these men in its 
darkest hour. These patriots are growing old and will 
soon be gone and their lips closed in death, and there will 
not be one left to tell of their sacrifices and the services 
they rendered to their country in its extreme need. History 
only will tell of the hardships, privations and service that 
they rendered to the government. Will there be no his- 
tory left to tell of the heroism and devotion to their coun- 
try in its darkest hour? The answer will come from ten 
thousand tongues that their history shall be written and go 
down to our children's children, that they may learn of the 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 195 

heroism, privation and sacrifice that was made "by those 
brave men and women, that their country might live and 
not a star be dropped from its banner. While history is 
being written and monuments being erected to the Confed- 
erate soldiers for heroism, shall we be so ungrateful to the 
loyal men and women, after they are dead and gone, and 
not tell the rising generation of the heroism and sacrifice 
they have made, that their country might live? The an- 
swer will come from every loj'al heart: No; a thous- 
and times no; it shall be written and perpetuated for gen- 
erations not yet born. 



196 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 



Has Known Col. Monks Thirty Years. 

I have known William Monks for thirty years or more. 
I have been in cour;; with him and a more kind and oblig- 
ing man I never knew or had dealings with. He is very 
considerate in regard to the feelings of others, always wil- 
ling to help those who need help. In later life he joined 
the church and preached; since he began the Christian life, 
I have never heard of any conduct that was not in conform- 
ity to his profession of Christianity. Had he had the 
school advantages that others have had, he would have 
been a power in the community where he lived. 

The writer of this was born in Lancaster count}', Penn- 
sylvania, April first, 1824. His father immigrated west 
and landed in Pittsburg in 1837. Then the writer of this 
migrated southwest and finally landed in Tennessee. At 
Sprirgfield he met Cathcr'ne Ebbeit, or Abbott, as thej^ 
now call it, and married her March 20, 1856. She was 
born in Reeseville, Kentucky, and is still living, aged 76 
years last January'. J. B. Wixgek, 

West Plains, Mo. 





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MR. AND MRS. J. B. WINCiliR. 



198 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 



Dr. Dixon's Long Acquaintance. 

I will state that I came to Howell county in the year 
1866 and settled on Hutton Valley near where the town of 
Willow Springs now is. The present townsite was then a 
small field without a fence and one small log cabin. I fol- 
lowed the practice of medicine up to the present date. I 
was 83 years old the 20th of August, 1906, and the picture I 
send you was taken when I was 81 jxars old. I was 
born in McMinn count}', East Tennessee, and remained 
there until I was eleven years old when I left there and 
have gone through many changes and experiences since 
then. I served in the Mexican war. I married near 
Louisville, Ky., in 1849. My wife is still living and is 
nearly eighty -five years of age and in pretty fair health. 

I will state that I have known Col. Wm. Monks and 
wife for over forty years and know them to be good and 
true people. I will further state that there were said to be 
but seventy-eight families in the entire county of Howell, 
and four families in the town of West Plains in May, 1866 
and Col. Wm. Monk'? was one of the four. Now I believe 
there is a population in West Plains of over 4,000 and there 
is room for many more. This is an educational town, fine 
colleges and high schools besides quite a number of ward 
schools houses, almost entirely built of brick. Schools 
last about nine months in the 3'ear. 

Respectfully yours, 

I)k. J. C. B. Dixon, 

West Plains, Mo. 




DR. J. C. H. DIXON. 



200 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOLTRI 



Union Woman Leaves Arkansas for Missouri, 

Mrs. Cjiddens, a widow, before the war resided in Con- 
way county, Arkansas. She had two sons, Brad and John, 
who were about grown at the commencement of the war. 
This was a Union family and these two boys, with others, 
kept themselves hid until the Confederates issued a gener- 
al order to hunt down all Union men and either force them 
to join the Confederate army or hang them. The boys at 
once saw that they would be arrested and forced into the 
Confederate service. They held a consultation with their 
mother and decided to try to reach the Federal lines near 
Rolla. 

Their mother took a couple of wagons with a large 
yoke of oxen to each wagon, and loaded them with her 
household goods, wearing apparel and provisions to last 
them through. In the spring of 1S64 they started for 
Rolla. The boj^s traveled at night until they reached Mis- 
souri, and on reaching Taney countj' they met some Fed- 
eral troops and made their wa}' to Rolla, where they enlisted 
and joined the 16th U. S. Cavalry Volunteers, and were 
attached to com|)any K, conunanded by Capt. Monks, and 
served until peace was made and they were honorably dis- 
charged at Springfield. Both of them are still living and 
are active ministers of the church of Christ. 

Tlieir mother aimed to reach Rolla by way of West 
Plains, and on reaching Howell county, near what is 
known as the Newt Bond farm, the bushwhackers stopped 
her wagons and robbed her, and ordered her to exchange 
her large cattle for smaller ones and her large wagon for a 



202 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

small, light wagon, so that the small cattle conld pull it. 
Finally, after being stopped several times by the Confeder- 
ate authorities, she reached Rolla and found that her sons 
had enlisted in the Federal army. vShe saw the stars and 
stripes unfurled and it appeared like a complete change of 
country. Here she located and remained until her sous 
were discharged from the United States service. 

Samuel B. Giddens. 

Summerviile, Mo. 



All Union families were forced to leave Texas county. 
The illustration contains the pictures of S. B. Giddens and 
wife, who w^ere driven out; also Mrs. Mary Dewett, now 
over seventy years of age, who was forced to leave all she 
had and flee for her life; Mrs. Stillen Stellman, whose 
father went to Rolla and got the Federal soldiers to guard 
him while he removed his family. 



AND NOKTHKRX ARKANSAS 203 



Union Men Killed in Izard County, Ark. 

Moody, Mo., September 26, 1906. 
Prior to and when the war of the rebellion broke out 
the writer of this article was a citizen of Izard county, 
Arkansas; the few loyal people that lived in North Arkan- 
sas, had a hope that war would be averted and when Ft. 
Sunipter was fired upon they realized the awful condition 
and consequences of war at their very doors; those who 
favored a dissolution of the states had given notice in no 
uncertain way. And when the news was flashed over the 
country that there had been a clash of arms, the persecution 
of the loyal people bej^an in the .South and Central states 
b)' those that favored secession. They org;anized them- 
selves into companies and went from house to house noti- 
fying^ all those that seemed not to take sides either wa_v, 
that the time had come \\'hen the sheep and goats had to 
be separated. The Union element was arrested and many 
were sent to the penitentiary at Little Rock, Arkansas, 
from the counties of Izard, Fulton and Independence. 
Those people were robbed and plundered as long as there 
was anything worth taking and some of them, after they 
had got all the Union people had, commenced arresting 
and hanging the Union men. They arrested a ^-ou'ig man 
and ])laced a halter around his neck to hang him ; he 
brol<e loose from them and he was run one mile Ijefore 
he was caught; then he was taken to a stooping ash tree 
and hung. Tlie writer was creditably informed that a man 
who was a prominent member of the Baptist church, 
scratched the dirt from under his toes in order that lie 



204 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

miiilit hang clear of the ground. I have seen the tree he 
was hanged on many times. 

Another brutal murder was perpetrated upon the 
person of Rube Hudson, a Union man who had been run 
from home and returned home in the winter of 1865; from 
an exposure, he took sick with pneumonia; his wife had 
secreted him under the floor near the chimney and fire 
place; the news got out that he was at home, the rebels 
raided his house; every thing in the way of beds and 
what little they had left was turned upside down and 
they gave up the hunt and started avvay, a spell of 
coughing came on him, for he was very ill and he was 
heard coughing by them and they came back and tore 
up the fioor and found him; they dragged him out and 
took him about one hundred yards from the house; 
there he was beaten and hung to make him tell of 
others who might have come with him; finally he was 
hung and shot to death, where the family could hear 
him pleading for his life; he made a special appeal to 
one of his near neighbors calling his name and asking 
him to intercede for him and save him. The only con- 
solation he got was "you are a goner, Rube; you are 
a goner, Rube," he was left hanging for the family to 
cut down and bury. He met his death for no other 
cause than that of being a staunch Union man. 

Another bloodcurdling murder was perpetrated upon 
the person of Minor White, for no other cause than that of 
being loyal to his country. He was honest and upright in 
his dealings with his fellowmen, but he was arrested, taken 
to the county seat of Izard county, tried and was released. 
Before he started home a friend told him not to go the road 
for they would follow him and kill him, he said: "I have 
always been free to speak my sentiments ; I have done 
nothing that I have to slip back home through the woods. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 2U5 

I am going to take the public highway, if I am killed." 
He was overtaken about a mile out by the mob that took 
him there; he was shot and otherwise mutilated and left 
hanging to a tree. 

I could mention many things that were done to the 
Union men and women in Northern Arkansas that make 
me shudder to think of, and if I were to undertake to relate 
all that came under my own observation, and many inci- 
dents that took place in the counties mentioned that were 
related to me by others who are entitled to credit for honor 
and truth. There was not a Union family left at home in 
the counties above referred to. 

I am opposed to war on general principles: first, it 
never settles the issue; second, it is always a poor man's 
fight and a rich man's fuss; third, if the poor soldier is 
fortunate enough to get back alive, the debt is his to pay. 

J. M. Dixon. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 207 



THE KU-KLUX 



The lawless bands that had been roving through the 
counties of Howell, Oregon, Shannon and Dent had been 
captured, killed or driven out of these counties by the 
officers of the law, aided by the militia forces of the state. 
All classes of persons and men of every political faith were 
secure in their person and property. The civil law was 
enforced to the letter and the people generally looked to 
the bright future of Missouri. 

In the fail of 1868, in the month of September during 
a political campaign that was being made in Howell 
county, while a political speaking was going on at Black's 
store in Benton township in the southwest part of the 
county, a courier came with a dispatch stating that 
Captain Simpson Mason, registering officer of Fulton 
county, Arkansas, had been shot and killed from ambush, 
near the state line adjoining Howell county, by men 
who styled themselves Ku-klux, and had ordered all 
Union men, and especially the officers of the law, to 
keep inside of their doors and to tender their resignations 
as such officers or they would fare the same as Mason 
had. It was stated that the law-abiding citizens were 
without arms and that the Ku-klux were raiding the 
whole country ; the whole country was being terrorized 
by said men and in God's name asked us to come and 
bring men and arms to aid the civil officers to enforce the 
law. The writer advised the people to be cool ; that if 
there was an organization in the state of Arkansas to 



208 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

overturn the state government and the loyal people of 
said state were helpless, since the rebels at the commence- 
ment of the Civil war had had no regard for state lines I 
thought that we would have the same right to go down and 
help our loyal brethern to enforce the civil law. 

A committee of twelve men was selected to say what 
action we would take; among the committee were Benja- 
min Alsup, Rev. Adam Wright, Rev. John Collins, David 
Nicholass. Old men were placed on the committee. The 
committee retired to deliberate upon the matter, and in a 
short time returned and made the following report: 
That we, the loyal people of Howell county, go at once 
with all available men and arms." The writer had in his 
possession at that time one hundred Springfield rifles, with 
one thousand rounds of cartridges for each gun. During 
^the night and the next day about seventy -five men were 
organized into a temporary company and were placed un- 
der the command of Uncle Benjamin Alsup. On the night 
following we made a forced, march reaching the Widow 
Pickrum's farm, situated on Bennet's river, in Fulton 
county, Arkansas, the next morning. We found Captain 
Richardson, with one company of state guards, fortified in 
a barn. On our arrival we offered our services to Captain 
Richardson, which were readily accepted. They were look- 
ing for an attack to be made by the Ku-klux at any moment, 
as Colonel Tracy was said to be at Jackson Port with three 
hundred and fifty well armed Ku-klux. 

While waiting for further orders from Governor Clay- 
ton a vigorous search was commenced for the murderers of 
Captain Mason. We soon learned that on the day pre- 
vious to the murder of Mason he was registering the voters 
on the Big North Fork, at what was known as the Cal- 
houn mill, and on the next day he was to meet the peo- 
ple at the Harbor Precinct for registration. And on the 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 209 

previous night the Kukhix, according to a general move 
that was to be made throughout the state, met at Col ■ 
onel Tracy's, at the Widow Pickrum farm. Among tiiem 
were Colonel Tracy, Dow Bryant, U. R. Bush, and 
about forty others; the.y selected about twenty men to do 
the shooting and divided them into three bunches and 
erected three blinds, as they did not know which road 
Captain Mason might travel. They placed about seven 
well armed mt-n in each blind, who had been sworn by 
the Kuklux and after they had been placed in their 
blinds one of the men who did the shooting .^aid, "Iy?t him 
come; I am sure to get him for I can hit an old gobbler's 
neck that distance." The blind was erected where the 
road made a short curve with very thick brush on the left 
side of the road. When Captain Mason and posse had ap- 
proached within about thirty yards of the blind they fired 
a volley, five of the shots taking effect in Mason's body. 
Captain Mason fell from his horse and expired in a few 
moments. The assassins fled through a thick bottom 
growth. Bryant, Bush, and two or three others were ar- 
rested, charged with being a part of the men who did 
the shooting. They were arrested by the state guards, as 
the civil officers were afraid to issue a single warrant on 
account of the threats of the Kuklux. On an investigation 
it was proven that Tracy, Bryant, Bush and about forty 
others were present the night before Mason's murder. 
And that Bush was the man who remarked after he had 
gone into the blind "Let him come. I can get him. I 
can hit an old gobbler's neck that far." 

In the meantime, the governor had gotten a dispatch 
through to Capt. Richardson that the Kuklux in large num- 
bers were organizing and threatening to attack the state 
officers; that he and the state officers were Ijarricaded in 
the state house and that he was organizing the state guards 



210 HISTORY OF S0UTHP:RN MISSOURI 

as fast as possible. Capt. Richardson was ordered to re- 
cruit every available man and protect the civil officers as 
far as possible ; that he had made arrangements to send 
arms and amnumition up White river on a boat. I sug- 
gested to Benjamin Alsup and others who had come down 
from Missouri that the only way we could make our acts 
legal would be to join the state guards and be mustered 
into the state service, to which proposition ni}- old friend 
Alsup objected and remarked: "That's the way with 
Monks; he is afraid he will hurt some rebel, contrary to 
law. Now, by the living, I came down here to hang some 
of these old rebels and murderers to the 6rst limb we come 
to, and if we have to join the state guards and wait on the 
civil and military law to punish them, they never will be 
punished. I am going back to Missouri." About two- 
thirds nf the men who came down enlisted in the state ser- 
vice; Alsup and others returned to Missouri. 

As soon as Governor Clayton learned that the writer 
had come into the state with men and arms, he sent another 
dispatch stating that he and all the law-abiding people of 
the state would ever be grateful to him for furnishing men 
and arms at a time when they were entirely helpless and at 
the mercy of a secret and bloodthirsty enem3s bent on over- 
throwing the state government ; that if I would remain in 
the state with my men and arms he would make me lieuten- 
ant-colonel of the seventh regiment of state guards. 

We were watching the movements of the Kuklux, and 
in about eight or ten days after the murder of Capt. Mason, 
late one evening, the deputy sheriff of the county came to 
headquarters and informed Capt. Richardson that there 
were three hundred and fifty Kuklux, well armed, in camp 
at Salem, the county seat of Fulton county, and intended 
to attack Capt. Richardson before day, the next morning; 
they had ordered him, the deputy sheriff, under penalty of 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 211 

death, to bring Bush and turn him over to them. A brief 
consultation was held by the officers, and being satisfied 
that they were not able to meet the force of Kuklux then 
marching upon them, it was agreed that the writer should 
take the men from Missouri and recruit men for the service 
and get all the arms and ammunition that were left at home 
and return with all possible speed. In the meantime, they 
would retreat to some secluded place and watch the move- 
ments of the Kuklux. They turned Bush over to the dep- 
uty sheriff and he started in the direction of Salem, and 
Capt. Richardson broke camp and retreated. The deputy 
sheriff had not traveled more than two miles when a posse 
of armed men met him and demanded Bush, and he, sup- 
posing that they were a part of the Kuklux command, 
turned him over. They took him about two hunred yards 
and shot him to death. The next morning, before daylight, 
Col. Tracy charged upon the late camp of Capt. Richard- 
son, but found it had been vacated. 

The Kuklux began a regular, organized system of raid- 
ing the Union men's houses, especially the officers of the 
civil law, posting written notices, ordering their resigna- 
tions ot once, and if they attempted the arrest of any Ku- 
klux, death would be the penalty. They posted a picture 
of a coffin with the notice, at the same time ordering all in- 
fluential Union men to leave the state at once, under the 
penalty of death. In about two weeks the governor or- 
dered a part of the seventh regiment of state guards to 
Fulton county, to be stationed on Bennett's river, and to 
complete the organization of the regiment with all possible 
speed; Col. Dail was placed in command. 

After my return home, I organized three companies, 
commanded by Capt. F. M. Monks, Capt. Nicolas and 
Capt. Rice. About three daj^s after the regiment reached 
Fulton county, the writer rejoined his regiment with three 



212 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

companies, one hnndred vSpringfield rifles and one thons- 
and rounds of cartridges for each gnn, and soon completed 
the organization of the regiment; he was commissioned 
lieutenant -colonel of the regiment. 

The governor had sent arms and ammunition up White 
river, but the Kuklux captured and sunk the boat with all 
the arms and ammunition. The governor said that my ar- 
rival saved the north part of the state from the control 
of the Kuklux, as he would not have been able to procure 
arms for months. The regiment began an active cam- 
paign at once, by which they came into possession of the 
intentions, aims, secrets and oaths of the order; found that 
the order extended up into Missouri, along the state line. 
It was a complete military organization. The intention 
was to overturn the state government by intimidating the 
civil officers of the state, and with this purpose in view 
they procured a human skull and two thigh bones, and 
while the member was looking on these bones the follow- 
ing oath was administered by the grand cyclops: 

"We (or I, as the case might t)e) do solemnly swear 
before Almighty God and these witnesses, and looking up- 
on these human bones, that I will obe}' and carr}- into ef- 
fect every order made b}- au}^ cyclops or assistant cjxlops, 
and if I fail to strictly conform and execute ever}- order 
made as above reqiiired of me, unless I am prevented from 
some cau.se which shall be no fault of mine, or if I shall 
give any information to any person or persons except mem- 
bers of this order, that the doom of all traitors shall be 
meted out to me, and that my bones may become as naked 
and dry as the bones I am looking upon. And I take this 
oath voluntarily, without any mental reservation or evasion 
whatever, for the causes set out in said order, so help me 
God." 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 213 

After the oath had been taken the persons taking said 
oath were read}' for duty. The intentions and aims of 
this organization were to intimidate the civil officers and, 
if necessary' to the accomplishment of their aims, to kill 
and murder all officers of the state by assassination or drive 
them from the state. All civil officers of the state were 
at once notified to tender their resignations and to cease to 
discharge their official duties as peace officers, and if they 
failed to comply with said order, death would be the pen- 
alty The governor and all the state officers received the 
same order; all Union men that were influential in the 
state were ordered to keep themselves in doors or be driv- 
en from the state, or be murdered by assassination. The 
follcjwing words, with pictures of coffins, w^ere attached to 
said notices : 

"If you fail to comply with this notice, this colhn will 
be 3'our final resting place.'" 

The Kuklux organization, having but one ol)ject and 
aim, to turn the state government over to the control of 
the late rebels or Democratic party of the state, was a 
complete secret military organization with the most des- 
perate means to wit : Murder, by assassination whenever 
ordered b}' a cyclops or assistant cy clops. 

A grand cyclops took the place of a colonel. An as- 
sistant cyclops lieutenant -colonel. An order from one 
of these officers to sh(wt any man was final, from which 
there was no appeal ; and men were selected to exe- 
cute said order by the most deseperate oath known to man 
or history. Th?s kind of warfare, being inaugurated 
throughout the whole state, with a thorough understand- 
ing that their organization would revolt against the civil 
authorities of the state government, and had the da>' set 
throughout the whole state. 



214 HISTORY OK SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

On the same day that Captain Simson Mason was as- 
sassinated in Fulton county, Kukhix attempted to assassi- 
nate Governor Clayton in Little Rock. They were S2en 
in considerable numbers near the state capitol, after night, 
all wearing- masks. They notified the governor, that they 
intended to capture and take possession of the state capi- 
tol by a force, if he did not resign his ofBce as governor; 
the danger became so great that he barricaded the state 
house, as he had but few state troops. The whole 
state was invaded by the Kuklux at the same time and 
the}' commenced raiding the state in bands of from 
twenty-five to two hundred and fifty men; all wore 
masks and large rubl^er pouches concealed by a cover. 
The)' visited the Union, men and colored men's 
houses and raided the whole country generally, proclaim- 
ing that they were dead rebels who had been shot on 
the different battlefields during the civil war and that 
they had come back to rid the state of black republi- 
cans and carpet-baggers. 

The}' would claim that they were ver}' thirsty, that 
they never had a drink of water since the}' had 
been killed at the battles of Gettysburg, Corinth, Vicks- 
burg, and other big battles. They would call on the 
colored people to bring them a bucketful and one of 
their number would pour the whole bucketful into his 
pouch and called for more water, making the colored 
people believe that they drank the water ; then they 
would give the colored people orders not to be caught 
off their plantations, and if so caught, the penalty of 
death would be inflicted ; many of the influential colored 
people were shot down. The author saw a number of 
fresh graves of the colored people that had been shot 
b}' the Kuklux ; saw holes in windows in house? in 
towns and villages that had been shot through after night, 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 215 

while men were reading-, who had been notified to re- 
sign their offices or stop using their influence in favor 
of the enforcement of the civil law. 

The author remembers passing some colored people 
on the side of the road ; one old colored woman cried out 
at the top of her voice "Lawd, massa, massa are you 
men hunting dera dar Kuklux? Wi, da told us dat bul- 
lets wouldn't kill them, I fought we could fight live 
men but when it come to fightiu dead men, don't know 
what to tink about it. Wi dej' come to our house, rode 
up to de fence called for water; said they hadn't any 
water since the battle of Shiloh. Wi, one man drank a 
bucketful, and den call for mo. I thought to my soul 
that they would never get enuf water." The author re- 
plied, "Auntie, when these rebels are killed, they never 
get back here ; the bad man keeps them to build fires for 
him. These Kuklux are the men that ran away from the 
battle of Shiloh and have just crawled out of their dens. 
That's why they are masked." The old woman said, 
"Dat what I thought bout it." While the Kuklux 
were raiding the country they visited an old darkie's house 
and gave him three day's notice to leave the country ; 
and if he failed to leave they would visit him again and 
death would be his penalty. In about three or four day, 
twenty-five or thirty Kuklux rode up to his cabin in the 
night and called for him; he was armed with an old U. S. 
musket ; he fired into the crowd and killed one of the l)and 
and then ran and made his escape. 

Part of the regiment received orders to report to Gen- 
eral Uphan, who was stationed at Cottonplant, on White 
river, leaving Captain Richardson in charge of the for- 
ces in Fulton county and Captain Toney in charge of the 
troops in Izard and Sharp counties. The regiment broke 
camp and marched by way of Jacksonport and on their 



216 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

arrival went into camp on the Wadel farm, two miles be- 
low Jacksonport. The Kiiklux had declared that we should 
not march through Jacksonport. A brother-in-law of Mr. 
Wadel from North Missouri invited the writer to supper; 
the writer believing that a trap had been fixed to decoy 
him outside of the lines took one lieutenant and a posse 
of men and went to his house; on our arrival, we found a 
bountiful supper; had every thing that a hungr}' man 
could wish ; had eggnog served in silver cups with silver 
spoons. The residence was about forty -two by twenty 
feet; two large rooms with a ten -foot hall between, 
with kitchen on west side, fine portico, with about ten 
•or twelve negro cabins, about sixt}' to one hundred 
feet from the du-elling-house. Just before supper I 
noticed eight or ten men come in on foot dressed in gray 
clothing. I at once ordered my men to be ready at any 
moment and to not let them get the drop on them. Just 
al)out the time that most of my men were through eating 
supper, T noticed that some of the men that came in 
to the supper table had arms on their persons and noticed 
that the negroes were excited. I stepped out at a back 
door and just as I entered the hall door I saw the land- 
lord approaching the room where my men were seated at 
the table with a navy pistol cocked in his right hand, 
holding it behind his back. Just as he attempted to 
open the door where my men were seated at the supper 
table, I sprang forward and grabbed his pistol and 
wrenched it out of his hand, and said to him. "Don't 
you dare to attempt to shoot one of my men." He turned 
around facing me and and said "I went all through the 
Civil war and you are the first men that ever disarmed 
me." In a moment my men had pistols in hand ready for 
action, and I noticed some of the men that came dresseed 
in gray had pistols in their pockets. I remarked to them; 



AND NORTHEKN ARKANSAS 217 

"I came here on an invitation; I am here as a guest, I wish 
to treat all persons as gentlemen, especially the landlord 
and his family; but this hostile move made upon the 
part of the landlord and the presence of these armed men 
shows me that there is something wrong. I ordered, 
my men to fall in line and return to the camp. His wife 
appeared to be a perfect lady and her husband appeared 
to be under the influence of whiskey. He agreed that if 
I would release him, he would go into his room and stay 
there until my men had all returned to the camp. 
After he had gone into his room, I gave his revolver to 
his wife on her promising not to give it to him until the 
next morning. 

I learned from Mr. Wadel's brother-in-law that he 
came from northern Missouri at the commencement of the 
war and at about the close of the war he married his sister; 
that he was a C3'clops and came to Fulton county in the 
Kuklux raid, and that the men who came that evening were 
all Kuklux , that if I had gone gone alone to his supper, I 
would have l)een killed. 

The next morning we broke camp and resumed our 
march. On the regiment arriving at Cottonplant, Col. Bail 
reported to Gen. Upham and we were ordered into camp. 
As soon as the citizens of the city learned of my arrival, 
they requested Gen. Upham that I l)e invited to deliver a 
speech in the city hall; that they had heard and read of 
Col. Monks and the}' wanted him to deliver an address to 
the ])eople at early candle-light on the present condition of 
the state. There were about seven or eight hundred men 
stationed at the post. After supper, the adjutant sent an 
order by an orderl}- to detail about fifty men for a patrol 
guard; that the soldiers had broken into the warehouse and 
were taking out whiske}' and other articles. I ordered the 
detail to be made and report at headquarters for further or- 



218 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

ders. Our headquarters were uot more than forty yards 
from the warehouse. I spoke in an audible voice, "Now, 
we chiim that our mission as soldiers is to protect persons 
and property. I want you to see that your guns and pis- 
tols are well loaded, and go direct to the warehouse first 
and arrest all soldiers that you find in or about the ware- 
house and take them to the guard-house and there keep 
them safe until further orders, and patrol the city closely. 
Order all soldiers and officers who have not passes to be 
inside of their quarters in thirty minutes, and if you find 
any soldiers on the street after thirty minutes, arrest them 
and take them to the guard-house; if they resist you, shoot 
them; and if 3'ou have to shoot, shoot to kill." About 
that time some man near the warehouse called out: "Who 
in hell are you? This whiskey is Kuklux whiskey, and 
we will take what we please." I replied, "if we cannot 
enforce discipline over the soldiers, we will go back home 
and send others ; you will find out who I am if you wait 
until the patrol gets there." 

I ordered the officer to sound the reveille. Inside of 
thirty minutes every soldier was inside of his quarters. 
The citizens said that such a thing had not occurred since 
the post had been established. Capt. Sharp was reckless 
when drinking ; he had mutinied and the men that were 
disposed to be wild had terrorized the people of the city. 
Gen. Upham had failed to enforce discipline over Capt. 
Sharp and his company. Capt. Sharp had ridden up 
and down the streets before the regiment had arrived and 
proclaimed, "when Colonel Monks arrives we will clean 
all the Kuklux up." The citizens were considerably 
frightened on my arrival in August, but after they saw how 
completely I enforced discipline everything became quiet, 
they appeared to be perfectly secure in person and prop- 
erty. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 219 

On the next ni.s^^ht, at early candle light, the large 
hall was filled. After being introduced by Gen. Upham. I 
spoke in part as follows: 

"Gentlemen and fellow citizens of Arkansas: lam 
from your sister state, Missouri, and I am very sorry to 
find you people in the state of war. War is not very 
pleasant ; it has its effects upon society ; demoralizes the 
morals of the people, besides the great sacrifice of life and 
propert3^ Besides this, it alienates those who should be 
brethern and makes them bitter enemies. Your people may 
ask the question, what right have you Missourians to come 
down into our state? My first answer will be. Captain 
Simpson Mason was but recently' assassinated in Fulton 
count3^ near the state line, while in the discharge of his 
official dut^^ At the commencement of the civil war he 
was a citizen of Fulton county, Arkansas, and I was a 
citizen of Howell county, Missouri. Both of iis were un- 
conditional Union men. Both of us were driven from our 
homes and posses of men from your state, regardless (^f 
the state lines, scouted our count}', murdering and driv- 
ing out Union men, women and children and hung 
and shot down loyal men. Captain Mason and I met in 
the early part of the war of the rebellion and soon become 
fast friends. Served together during the war. When 
peace was made we determined to go back home. Men 
would meet us and sa}' "If you men go back among the 
old rebels who hate you so badly the}^ will kill you." 
Our reply would be, " Damn a man that is afraid to go 
back and enjoy the fruits of his victory." We met 
and pledged our sacred honor to each other that if, after 
our return to our old homes, either one of us was killed 
by the late rebels, the other would do all in his power to 
bring the guilty parties to justice. A better and truer 
man never lived than Captain Simpson Mason. Each of 




MAKING A PLEDGE— Col. Wm. Monks and Capt. Simpson Mason. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 221 

US came hack with the olive leaf in his mouth. Now I 
don't say that all rebel-; are Kuklux, but I will say all 
Kuklux have been late rebels and have organized 
a secret organization, the objects and aims of which are 
to overturn the civil government of your s!ate by nu:r- 
der and intimidations, through the most vile and des- 
perate means known to man, the savage not excepted. 
Besides your organization extends into the border coun- 
ties of Missouri and as the rebels thought right to cross 
the state line during the Civil war, we think it right to 
cross it now to help our loyal brethern, and these are the 
causes that brought us to your state. We don't want 
booty. We want to see the civil law enforced, and we 
ask your cooperation, and promise you, that all law abiding 
citizens, be they Union or rebel, shall be protected in per- 
son and property during our stay in yoiir state and we in- 
tend to enforce the very strictest discpline among oi:r 
troops. I hope bj' the cooperation of the people of your 
state this unholy war will soon cease." Ai the conclusion 
of the speech they gave three cheers for Missouri troops. 

On the third day after our arrival at Cottonplant, 
Captain J. B. Nicliolas' and Captain Sharp's companies 
were ordered to l^e detached from the regiment and placed 
under the command of the author and ordered to march at 
once and report at Marion, the count}^ seat of Crittenden 
count}' for further orders. On our arrival at Marion we were 
ordered to proceed directly to Osceola, the county seat of 
Mississippi county, Arkansas and to erect a military post and 
issue an order ordering all the persons that were armed to 
come in and take the oath. On our arrival at that place to 
report the same to the Governor of the state. I issued 
the following general order : 

"To the people of the state of Arkansas, especially 
the citizens of Mississij)pi county; greeting; whereas a oart 



222 HlfiTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

of the people, disregarding their duties as good law-abid- 
ing citizens, have by and through a secret organization 
known as Kuklux revolted against the civil government of 
the state of Arkansas and are now armed and attempting 
by murder and intimidations to overthrow the civil govern- 
ment of the state, now therefore, by the authority in me 
vested and as commander of said post, do order all persons 
who may be in armed hostility to the present government 
a id those who may be b^' act or deed aiding or encourag- 
ing those who are in arms against the legal constituted 
laws of the state to return to their allegiance and aid in 
enforcing the civil law. And any person who may be 
found from and after this date armed or aiding or abetting 
those who are in arms against the civil law of the state 
will be promptly arrested and punished to the extent of the 
law. Wm. Monks, commanding the post." 

When I arrived there was not a single civil officer in 
this county. They had either resigned or had kept them- 
selves indoors. I at once commenced a vigorous campaign 
and soon learned that there were two men charged with 
being cyclops; one of them resided about thirty miles 
down the river on an island; he was charged with killing 
eight or ten colored people. I made a detail of about fifty 
men and placed them in charge of Captain Sharp and order- 
ed him to go down and arrest both and bring them up to 
headquarters. The second day after the scouts started 
they returned by steamboat with both men, as well as 
several other prisoners. After the boat arrived Captain 
Sharp came to headquarters and suggested the release of one 
of the men as he didn't think he was guilt}'. I ordered the 
prisoners brought to headquarters at once. There was a 
man by the name of Edington who resided in Osceola, one 
of the wealthiest men in the county; he was well acquaint- 
ed with one of the men, as he had been sheriff of the coun- 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 223 

ty in which he resided and a colonel in the Confederate 
army. He asked me to parole him to the limits of the 
city and he would go on his bond for one thousand dollars 
until said charges could be investigated. In a few days 
after he was paroled Mr. Edington came into the office and 
informed me that after his arrest and while on the boat 
coming up the river Cap. Sharp came to him in the pres- 
ence of the captain of the steamboat and remarked. "Well, 
colonel, you have got a hard man holt of you now; if 
you will pay me one hundred and fift}' dollars I can use 
my influence with Col. Monks and have you released." 
The colonel said to Captain Sharp that he didn't have 
the money with him. The captain of the steamboat 
said to the colonel, "I have the money, I will loan it to 
you." The colonel paid Captain Sharp one hundred 
and fifty dollars. Captain Sharp agreed to have him 
released and let him go back on the boat. Mr. Edington 
said he had watched all my proceedings since I took com- 
mand of the post and had become saitisfied that my 
highest aim was to protect every person in his person and 
property. 

I ordered the orderly to arrest the colonel and bring 
him to headquarters. I told him that I had been in- 
formed that after his arrest and while in custody of 
Captain Sharp on the steamboat he paid Captain Sharp 
one hundred and fifty dollars and Captain Sharp was to 
release him and let him return home on the boat. He 
admitted that he paid the mone}- and made a full state- 
ment of all the facts that caused him to paj' the money. 
I notified Captain Sharp to appear at headquarters at 
once. Informed him of what I had just learned, that 
while he had the colonel prisoner, coming up on the 
steamboat, that he, the prisoner, paid him one hundred 
and fift}- dollars to procure his release. Captain Sharp 



224 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

admitted that it was true; Tasked the captain if he had 
the money. He said he had. I asked the colonel if he 
had a friend that he could pay the money to; that I could 
not pay the money to him, that he might bribe another 
one of my officers. He said that I could pa}^ the money 
to Mr. Edington. Captain Sharp paid the money to Mr. 
Edingtonby the order of the colonel. I ordered the colonel 
to the guardhouse for bribing my ofhcers. I ordered 
Captain Sharp to report at headquarters the next day 
at ten oclock. The Captain promptly appeared at the 
hour set. We went into the back room of my ofhce 
alone. The captain and myself took seats. I said to the 
captain, "I am very sorry that this thing occurred; that 
you have allowed one of your prisoners to bribe you and 
you have betraj'ed that confidence imposed in you by the 
state. It become ni}- painful dut}' to place you under 
arrest and of all crimes known to the criminal calender 
the worst is that one of treason. We claim that 
we are hunting violaters of the law and if we become 
violaters of the law then it will devolve on the state to 
place a new set of men in the service so that all violaters 
of the law can be arrested and brought to justice. Now 
I have been informed that while you composed a part of 
the command stationed at Cottonplant under General 
Upham 3'ou was arrested for disorderly conduct and you 
caused j^our company to mutinize. Now I want to say 
to 3'ou that I am going to put you under arrest and dis- 
arm you and I will parole you to the limits of the city 
and 3'Our first lieutenant will be placed in command of 
the company and if you cause your men to mutinize I will 
arrest the whole company and send them to Little 
Rock." 

I ordered the whole company to appear at head- 
quarters and informed them of what I had done. I then 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 225 

sent the orderly and brought out the colonel and 
paroled him to the limits of the city under one thou- 
sand dollar bond. I never had a more obedient set of 
soldiers in all my service than C iptain Sharp's company 
and they were as true and as brave men as ever lived. 
Captain Sharp said he was sorry for what he had done 
and I had done my duty and m about one week I return- 
ed his arms and placed him in command of his com- 
pany. And during the remainder of service Captain 
Sharp discharged every duty with honor to himself and 
his state. While I was in command of the post I made a 
vigorous campaign. Arrested or drove out all tlie arm- 
ed Kuklux and had the civil law fully put in force and 
the ministers of the gospel reorganized their churchts 
and business of all kinds was resumed. Intimidations of 
the people, of the civil officers, and of the county by the 
Kuklux was a thing of the past. I received orders from 
the adjutant general at Little Rock to declare the ci\ iJ 
law enforced in Mississippi county and to report with 
my command to the commander of the post at Marion, 
Crittendon county, Arkansas, for further orders. Mj^ con.- 
mand was conve\ed by steamboat to Hopefield and from 
Hopefield we marched to Marion. 

And in obedience to said orders I issued the fo- 
lowing order: "To all whom it may concern, especially 
to the citizens of Mississippi county, Arkansas, I sei d 
greeting. It affords me great pleasure to say to the peo- 
ple of Mississippi county that the Kuklux organization is 
completely broken up and thfre is no armed opposition to 
the enforcement of the civil law. Therefore, by the pow- 
er in me vested I declare the civil law from this date in full 
force and effect in said county. And I invite all go d 
citizens to aid in the enforcement of the civil law. 

Wm. Monks, Commander of tlie post. 



226 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

And when the people of the city learned that mj^com- 
•niand had been ordered to leave the city they at once 
presented the writer with a new suit of clothes. And on 
the arrival of the boat and while we were loading our 
camp equipage, arms and amunition, about three or four 
hundred persons composed of men, women, and children 
assembled on tlie the bank of the river to bid us goodbj-e. 
And as the boat moved out they waved their handker- 
chiefs and hats and gave three cheers for the soldier boys 
and their conmianders. 

On our arrival at Marion we turned over our guns, am- 
unition and camp equipage and were ordered by the ad- 
jutant general to proceed to Jacksonport for further or- 
ders and on our arrival at Jacksonport the writer was 
ordered to leave his command at Jacksonport and to report 
in person to the governor at Little Rock. On my arrival 
at Litttle Rock I was informed by the adjutant general 
that the governor was dangerously sick and confined to 
^his room. The legislature of the state being in session I 
was invited by both houses to deliver an address to the 
legislature. Both bodies met in the lower house. The 
writer was introduced by the speaker. Spoke as follows: 

"Mr. President of the General Assembly of the State 
of Arkansas, it affords me great pleasure to have the 
honor of addressing this august body of men assembled in 
this hall. Men who have been elected by the people of 
the whole state. Men who have the interest of the people 
at heart. Men who have the confidence of the people. 
Men who are intelligent and know what kind of laws the 
people need. Men who are determined to do your whole 
duty; men who have the courage, patriotism and love of 
country at heart, who have stood by your post while one 
of the mo.st secret organizations, known as KuHux, bound 
by one of the most desperate oaths to overturn your state 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 227 

.a:overnnient by intimidation and murder of all the civil of- 
ficers of the state and to kill and murder the lo^'al citizens 
of your state. The intention of said organization was to 
overturn the legally constituted laws of the state, but 
through the urtiring effort of your governor and his sub- 
ordinate officers and the loyal people of j'our state and 
the valor and patriotism of your soldiers, this organization 
has been completely routed and broken up and the civil law 
is again declared to be enforced in your state. Now may 
your wisdom as legislators guide you and your successors 
in all duties that you nia}^ be called upon to perform in the 
legislative capacit5^ And may 3'ou always have the in- 
terest of the whole people at heart. And may all the 
laws that may be enacted bj^ this legislature or your suc- 
cessors be in the interest of the whole people. And may 
patriotism and the love of both state and nation grow in the 
hearts of your people and may they become so united that 
nothing can sever that cord of love for their state and 
nation. May God's blessing guide and direct every one 
of your public acts, and go with you to your homes and 
families and now that your state is once more at peace and 
the civil law is being enforced, and your people are se- 
cure both in person and property' , I therefore will return 
to Missouri to the bosom of my family. I bid you all 
good bye." 

The whole house rose to its feet and gave three cheers 
and pressed forward to give the writer a good, parting 
handshake. 

The governor continued to grow worse. The doc- 
tors would not admit an}' person to his sick room. The 
adjutant general informed me that the governor wanted to 
see me in person. That I had come to the rescue of 
the people with men and arms, when the loyal people 
were completel}' overpowered and saved the northern 



228 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

part of the state from the control of the Kuklux. He said 
the the governor was well pleased with my services while 
in the State; that even the rebels spoke in the highest 
terms in regard to the discipline that I enforced over 
my men ; that I had protected the person and property of 
both Union and rebel, and that I had given general 
satisfaction to all classes of persons that were favorable to 
the enforcement of the civil law and that it was the de- 
sire of the governor to promote me to a brigadier -general for 
the valuable services that I had rendered in the state, 
and place me in command of the northern district. I 
said "You can tell the governor when he gets well that I 
was very sorr\' to find him sick, that it would have been 
a pleasure to me to have met him in person. And the 
offer that he has made to me to promote me to briga- 
dier-general for the meritorious services that I have 
rendered to the state places me under many obligations to 
his honor for the the high esteem and confidence he im- 
poses in me, as touching mj^ military service, and as a 
private citizen while in this state. And while I thank 
him for his offer to promote me to the rank of brigadier - 
general and place me in command of the northern district 
of Arkansas, I must decline the offer and return to Mis- 
souri for I love the people of my state, I love ni}' home and 
my desire is to become a private citizen. The only thing 
that impelled me to come into your state was to aid the 
state in enforcing the civil law and protect your people 
from assassination and murder and to do all in my power 
to aid in bringing violaters of law to justice. This be- 
ing accomplished and civil law again being enforced in 
every part of the state, my services as a soldier and an 
officer not being needed any longer I will ask you 
again to give my respects to the governor and will ever 
hold his memory sacred, and ma}^ God's blessing rest 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 229 

upon the people of your state and your chief executive. 
So I will bid you good-bye." 

I returned to Jacksonport and rejoined my com- 
mand and marched directly to West Plains. There my 
men bid each other goodbye and returned to their 
homes, hoping that this thing of war would be over 
forever. 

On my arrival home I found, to my great surprise, a 
new political organization, composed of men who styled 
themselves lyiberal Republicans, and democrats and rebels; 
and through some of the most vicious and unprincipled 
rebels, they charged me with being a thief and a mur- 
derer. M}' friends came to me and requested that I at 
once institute suits of slander against them, for they 
knew that it was false from beginning to end. During 
the intervening time they had called an indignation 
meeting and publicly denounced me as a thief and nnir- 
df-rer. I instituted a civil suit for slander against all 
persons who took part in said indignation meeting. I 
also instituted suit against one other man on the same 
charge. The county of Howell at that time, especially 
the judicial circuit, was presided over by a judge, who 
was an extreme democrat. The defence made applica- 
tion to the judge for a change ot venue from this judi- 
cial circuit; he ordered the change sent to Laclede county, 
to the cit}^ of Lebanon, before Judge Fian. The defence 
then set about taking depositions. I was notified to meet 
them in Sharp county at Evening Shade for the purpose of 
taking depositions. When we met at Evening Shade 
they commenced hunting around for witnesses to prove 
their charges, but failed to find a single one. But ever}- 
person they interviewed touching the charges declared 
that they were false and that Colonel Monks enforced 
discipline over his men while he was in their state and 



230 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

protected ever}' one in person and property and that 
all classes of persons regarded him as being perfectly 
honest and a goodmilitary oflicer ; they failed to procure a 
single witness at that place. I next was notified to meet 
them in Oregon county, at the court house, for the pur- 
pose of taking depositions. I accordingly armed myself 
with two good navy revolvers and went to Alton, the 
county seat of Oregon county; the circuit court being in 
session at that time, on my arrival I put up at a boarding 
house conducted by Alfred Harris, who still resides in that 
county. Circuit court being in session I went into the 
court room and remained until recess. Just after recess 
the judge came and told me that he had been informed 
that a mob then had the court-house surrounded and was 
going to mob me whenever I entered the square, and to 
remain in the court room for a few minutes and he would 
try and have the mob removed ; in eight or ten minutes 
the deputy sheriff returned and informed me that the mob 
had been removed, and that I could go down and go to 
my hotel. As I passed down I saw about fifty or sixty men 
in front of the saloons, swearing at the top of their voices 
'He fought us during the civil war and he shall not be 
allowed to come into this county and live." After reach- 
ing the hotel, Mr. Harris with several other friends urged 
me not to meet the parties, who were going to take depo- 
sitions in one of the rooms of the court house, for they 
believed the mob would kill me. I laughed and told 
them that I reckoned not and that I thought the war was 
over and that they couldn't play that game on me, to noti- 
fy me to meet them to take the depositions and then pre- 
pare a mob to prevent me from a])pearing, so that they 
would be able to manufacture e\-idence in tlie case. And 
I would either be present at one o'clock, the time I was 
notified to meet them, or I would die in the attempt. vSo 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 23>l 

I appeared promptly atone o'clock, the tiniCi set, but not 
one of the opposite part3% either attorney- or client put in 
an appearance. I remained there until four o'clock and 
still no appearance had been entered by the defendants or 
their attorneys, and I again returned to my hotel, after 
circuit court had adjourned for the day. 

While we were seated at the table eating si ppe ', a 
man rapped at the hotel door and called to Mr, Harri?, the 
landlord, that he wanted to see him privately- for a few 
moments. Mr. Harris soon returned and remarked to the 
writer that he had been ordered to deliver a message; that 
he had just been informed that a mob of about one hun- 
dred men then had the hotel surrounded and thcN' 
would give me ten minutes to get out of town or I would 
be shot to death. I replied to Mr. Harris, "In the first 
place, I am too old to run; and in the second i)lace, if these 
bushwhackers have not shed enough innocent blood, they 
will have the best opportunity now that they will ever get; 
tell them that I don't intend to leave or run." Mr. Harris 
said that he would deliver the message to the bearer. 

There were two Confederates seated at the table, 
eating. The_\' said, "What does this mean? Wc thought 
the war was over." They got up and left the table. Af- 
ter the writer finished his sup]>er, he retired to the sitting 
room, which adjoined Mr. Harris' library. Mr. Harris 
inunediatel^' came in and offered to barricade the doors 
and windows. I objected. He then remarked that the 
mob would shoot in through the windows, that he woi;ld 
blind the windows. I consented to his putting blinds on 
the windows, but that the doors shouldn't be interfered 
with. There was hut one door entering the sitting r ><.>n\ 
except the door that came through the lilirary. I took 
my seat on a bench where I could reach the knob of the 
door with my left hand and hold my revolver in my right 



232 HISTORY OP SOUTHERN MISSOITRI 

hand. Mr. Harris propose i to blow out the lights, to 
which I objected. I told him that if the mob came I 
wanted the light so that I could see how to shoot. He 
then took his seat and entered into conversation. In a 
few moments some person took hold of the knob of the 
door. I rose to my feet with my revolver cocked, in my 
right hand and let the door open just so that one man could 
enter at a time. Mr. Maxey, of Howell county, an attor- 
ney -at -law, had come in to get a book out of the li- 
brary, not knowing that there was any trouble up. As 
he came inside of the room I had my pistol cocked and 
presented on his left breast. When I recognized Mr. 
Maxey I lowered my pistol and remarked to him, "Your 
face has saved your life." Mr. Maxey became very much 
excited, walked across the floor once or twice, and in- 
quired what was up. I informed him of the notice of the 
mob and the time that I had been given to leave the 
hotel and tlial the time had then expired, and that when 
I heard liiin lake hold of the door, I supposed the mob 
was coming. Mr. Maxey remarked that "This thing 
will never do, I'm going to see if it can't be stopped." 
I requested him to say to every person that might be dis- 
p 'sed to come into the house to make themselves known 
outside of tlie door before entering the house. 

In a short time the circuit judge and deputy sheriff, 
with two or three others, came to the door and made them- 
selves knovvMi and came in. The circuit judge said: 
"Colonel, I have been informed that you have been noti- 
fied by a mob to leave the town in ten minutes or 3'ou 
would be shot to death, and I have come to see if j^ou 
wanted a guard." I replied that I didn't. "If these God 
damn bushwhackers haven't shed enough innocent l)lood 
and are still bloodthirsty, they will never have a better 
opportunity; so just let them come." The judge and 



234 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

sheriff and thpse who came with them left the room. I rc' 
mained in the room until the usual bedtime. I heard them 
cursing outside and declare that they would tal^e me out 
before daylight. I thought of my horse that was in the 
stable, a few yards away. I remarked to Mr. Harris that I 
was going to the stable to look at my horse. He begged 
me not to go out, that I would be shot down. I said to 
him that it was a game that two or more could work at. 

On reaching the stable, I heard the men quarrtding on 
the public square. A man by the nam2 of Jones, who had 
been a Confederate and then was prosecuting attorney of 
the county, and another citizen, who appeared to be lead- 
ing the mob, were having an altercation. Jone.-. remarked 
to the other man that he had never met Col. Monks 
until to-day anl that he appeared tj be a perfect 
gentleman, that the war was over, and that he had the 
same right to come here and transact business as any other 
man; to wdiich the other declared, with an oath, that a man 
who had fought them through the war shouldn't c(jme 
there, and they intended to take him out and shoot, him 
before daylight; and further charged that Jones was not a 
good Confederate. Jones then gave him the lie. The 
two appeared to be about to come together, but others in- 
terfered to keep them separated. I returned to the ho' el 
and said to Mr. Harris that the seat of war had moved u]) 
onto the square. 

Mr. Maxey informed me thai just outside of the door 
of the hotel he met the mob, and they declared that they 
intended to take Monks out and shoot him before daylight. 
He replied to them that they might do it, but they had bet- 
ter take their stretchers ah^ng, forsom^' other i)ers )ns would 
have to bring some of them out; that he had just been in 
the house and in a moment he was confronted by Col. 
Monks with a revolver presented at his left breast and the 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 235 

very devil was in his eye, and if they entered the room he 
would shoot as long as he could move a finger. 

When bedtime came, I was placed in an upper room 
and locked the door, expecting that if they located my room 
they would shoot through the windows. I could still hear 
them cursing and threatening to take me out until late in 
the night. The next morning everything was quiet. I 
went to the stable and took my horse down to the spring to 
water; a number of men were standing at the side of the 
street, and one said: "Where do 3-ou suppose the captain 
and his men are.-'" I remarked to them that they were 
just like a pack of wolves ; they were in the brush this- 
morning, wailing for night to again renew their howling. 
There was one, Capt. Wagoner, who resided in t )\vn, wlio 
remarked to me the next morning tliat he never was as 
proud of an^-thing in his life; that if they could have scared 
me and I had attempted to leave town in the night, they 
intended to murder me. 

After circuit court convened, I went into court, and at 
noon of that day the court adjourned. And I, with a num- 
ber of others, went to Thomasville, put up at tlie liotel, had 
my horse fed and took supper. While on the road, the 
man that led the mob passed me on his wa\' to Thomas- 
ville, where he resided. The defendants and their attor- 
neys failed to produce a single witness to testify in the 
case. I returned home to West Plains. 

I was notified to meet them at other places in the coun- 
tr}-, to take depositions in said cause. The political feel- 
ing was strong then between the parties, and they sent the 
suits to a county over a hundred miles distant from where 
the suits were instituted: this county, at that lime, was 
completely controlled by the democratic party. 

When the suits came up to be tried, over half of the 
jury had been late rebels, j'et they failed to introduce a 



236 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

single witness to support their charges, and I recovered a 
verdict in each case. Judge Fian, who tried the case, said 
that he was never so surprised in his life; that he opened 
up the floodgates and let them bring in all their evidence 
from the beginning of the war up to the time of the trial. 
Judge Fian had been a colonel on the Federal side in the 
Civil war. 

On the account of failure to get any proof the juries 
were compelled to give a verdict hi both cases for Col. 
Monks, although it was against the will and feeling of 
them. It cost the defendants between five and seven 
hundred dollars. After the trials, all parties returned to 
Howell county. The defendants, after they had procured 
a change of venue to Laclede count}', boasted openly before 
trials, that they were going to beat both cases, that they 
had got them into a democratic county. The defendants 
being beaten at all points, returned, but not being satis- 
fied, and being backed I)y the late bushwhackers and 
Kuklux (the most desperate set of men that ever lived,) 
at the next term of the Howell count}' circuit court lliey 
procured the appointment of a special prosecutiong at- 
torne}', who had b< en a late rt l)el and selected a jury of 
men composed of liberal Republicans and so-called 
democrats, with the express purpose of indicting the 
writer for killing one of the most desperate bushwhackers 
and rebel desperadoes that ever v/as in South Missouri. The 
men who compo-ed the jur}' knew well that he was killed 
in an open hand to hand fight during the Civil war. The 
writer soon found out that they were trj'ing to get a bill 
of indictment against the writer, so the writer watched the 
proceedings of the grand jury. On Saturday the grand 
jury came into court and turned in their indictments and 
reported to the court that thej- had no more business. 
The court discharged them. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 237 

At the same moment the writer asked the court if 
there was any bill of indictment preferred against him. 
He ran over the indictments and informed the writer that 
there was an indictment against him, for murder in the 
first degree. The Judge said that he was sorry that I 
had called it out for he wanted to go home until Monday. 
I told liim "Just adjourn your court and go home. The 
sheriff is here." I remarked to the jury that they needn't 
have put the county to any cost hunting witnesses; if they 
had come to me, I could have told them that I killeii him 
and the only thing that I was sorry for, was that I 
hadn't killed a lot more of the bushwhackers. I would 
love to ask this jury it they have indicted any of the 
bushwhackers and rebels who have hung and murdered 
Union men all over Howell county, irrespective of age; 
the most of those men were killed at their homes or taken 
from their homes and afterwards kdled. A part of the 
men who did these things are still living in Howell county 
and that jury knows it. 

The sheriff and the judge stepped o\it of the couit 
house and in a few minutes returned, and the judge re- 
marked "I will turn you over to the sheriff." He then or- 
dered the sheriff to adjourn the court until the next Mon- 
day. The sheriff remarked to the writer "Vcu can go 
where you plea,se and report to the court at ten o'clock 
next Monday." The writer remarked, in the presence of 
the judge and sheriff, "I did not knew that a man indict- 
ed for murder in the fir^t degree could be paroled." 
The sheriff adjourned the court and he and the judge left 
the court house together. When I met a numl)er of my 
friends (as there was a political meeting going on that 
day) and informed them that I had been indicted and 
paroled until next Monday, I couldn't make some of them 
believe it. 




CAPT. WILL H D. (ik'LHN, GRANDSON. LILUT. MARK SPRINGER. CO. K. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 239 

I appeared at ten o'clock the next Monday morning 
and before court was convened, Edward Seay, an attorney- 
at-law, one among the ablest law^'eis at the bar, a strong 
rebel sympathizer, came to the writer and said, "It is a 
shame that you have been indicted. It has been done for 
political furpose and I want your consent to file a motion 
to quash the indictment." I remarked to him that I 
would ralher have it tried before ajur^- of mj^ country so 
that I could show the intention and aims of those who 
caused .'^aid indictments to be procured. He still plead 
with me to let him file a motion to quash it, that it would 
not cost me one cent. I at last told him to use his own 
jileasure in regnrd to it. so he filed a motion to quash it, 
and submitted the motion to the court without an}' argu- 
ment, and the court sustained the motion and quashed the 
indictment. So ended that charge of murder against the 
writer. They saw they were beaten again and their 
schemes were again exposed to the whole people and they 
fell back sullen and become desperate. 

In a short time the writer was informed that they were 
threatening to assassinate him and to be continually on the 
watch. I put inen on their trails. Several attempts were 
made to decoy the writer into their nt-ts, but they failed. 
Tl-.ey then employed one Dr. Beldon, who made an attempt 
to sli )ot the author in his own dooryard, but the writer saw 
him in time to prevent his shootitig, and he left the county 
at once. vShortly after, the author was again warned to be 
on the watch, that they were still making threats. 

There was a man by the name of W. H. McCowen, 
who had been a Confederate colonel, living in West Plains. 
He was known to be a very dangerous man when drinking 
and was an uncmpromising rebel. The writer then resided 
in the house south of the town spring, known as the West 
Plains House, and the street ran within a few feet of the 



240 HISTORY OF SOUTHKRN MISSOURI 

gate, which opened in'o a hall betw en the house and 
kitchen. There was a saloon about forty yards west of the 
house, on the same street, inn by a man by the name of 
Jackson, another uncompromising retiel. This saloon ap- 
peared to be headq'inrters for these would-be assassins. 
I had just brought my horse from the stable and tied him 
by the gate, with tlie intention of going tf) ni}^ farm. Mrs. 
Lasater, who still resides in West Plains, had just come 
over to my house and was there at the time of the shoot- 
ing. Mrs. McCowen, the wife of Col. McCowen, came to 
to my house that morning, came in the back way, and ap- 
peared to be very much excited, and informed me that cer- 
tain men were going to assassinate me that morning; that 
to her knowledge they had been plotting for three days. 
They had been using every inducement, making her hvis- 
band drunk and trying to work him into it. She had shut 
him up and locked the doors to keep them away from lu.r 
husband, but they would raise the windows and come in. 
Slie had done all she could to keep her husband out of it, 
and she thought it vvas her duly to come and let me know 
that they had agreed to shoot me that morning. I thanked 
her f'lr the information and said to her that I would ever be 
grateful to her. I further said to her that I did not want 
to hurt the colonel or any other person, but they must not 
come to my house on that kind of business if they didn't 
want to get hurt. In a few moments she returned home, 
going around the t)ack way. 

I at once sent to S. P. Woodworth, a merchant who 
resided in West Plains and a strong Union man. for his 
double-barrelled shotgun. I had two good navy pisiols. 
He sent me his gun and said it was well loaded with buck- 
shot and was sure to fire. I advised the wom.en, if they 
came, to keep cool and go into the back room so they 
would be out of danger. I raised the two front windows of 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 241 

the sitting-room about two or three inches, so I could 
shoot under them, keeping a close watch on the saloon. 
In about thirty minutes after Mrs. McCowen left, I saw two 
of the men leave the saloon and come in the direction of my 
house. They came to the gate, opened it and stepped onto 
the porch. My wife went to the door and begged them to 
leave. One of the men said that he wanted to see the 
colonel. He was armed with two first-class pistols, one of 
the pistols belonging to Col. McCowen. I cocked both 
barrels of my shotgun and stepped out on the porch with 
ray gun presented and ordered him to turn around and 
leave my premises in one minute. Just at that moment 
my youngest daughter, now the wife of Mr. Green, sprang 
forward and caught my gun. I said to her; "For God's 
sake keep away from me. ' ' But she stood by mj^ side. 
During this time he had passed outside of the gate and had 
gotten behind a tree ; had his pistol cocked and presented 
at me and in a moment I had him covered with my shotgun. 
He would attempt to get sight on me and would dodge his 
head back behind the tree. Not knowing where the other 
man was, I watched his head and when he attempted to take 
sight I fired at his head ; at the crack of the gun he fell. Then 
six or seven men commenced jumping out at the door of 
the saloon. The first thing I thought of was, "They will 
pretend to arrest me and give the mob a chance to shoot 
me after I am disarmed." I sprang on my horse and rode 
east and in a few moments five or six men came to mj^ 
door and asked my wife who shot first. She ordered them to 
leave the house. They soon found that one of the would-be 
assassins was shot. On an examination it was found that 
one of the shot had struck him in the right side of the 
forehead, the right side of the brim of his hat was torn 
into fragments and the tree had caught a part of the 
load. The tree is still standing in the yard. Immediate- 



242 HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

ly afterward I sent them word that they had again opend 
the ball and I was ready to fight it out. I never saw men 
begin to plead for peace as hard in my life. The sheriff 
and others would come to me and say: "Colonel, why 
didn't you shoot some of those fellows long ago? That is 
just what they needed." I asked them why they hadn't 
arrested some of the assassins long ago. 

When the Union men learned that an attempt had 
been made by these would-be assassins to assassinate me 
about two hundred and fifty of them headed by such men 
as J. F. Reiley, Esau Fox, Andrew V. Tabor, David B. 
Nicholass, John B. Nicholass, Josiah Carico, Chas. Long, 
J. Youngblood, and Geo. Youngblood rode into town 
well armed and publicly notified these assassins and those 
who were aiding and abetting them, that if another attempt 
was made to assassinate Colonel Monks, or if they did 
assassinate him it would take ten of their leaders to pay 
the debt and they knew just who they were. On an 
investigation, it was proven that on the night before they 
attempted the assassination about ten or twelve of these 
would-be assassins met together in the town of West 
Plains, and one of their leaders set out among other causes 
why Colonel Monks would have to be killed ; that they had 
tried to scare him awa^- from the country but found they 
couldn't scare him and the only way to keep the repub- 
lican party from going into power again in this county was 
to kill Colonel Monks. Some of the men that were pres- 
ent were hired to do the shooting next morning and paid 
the money. They drank a health to each other on the 
death of Colonel Monks next morning. The man who 
advised and instructed them and paid them a part of the 
money is still living in Howell county. This failure 
in their attempt to assassinate me and the action taken by 
the loyal men appeared to put a quietus on their idea of 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 243 

assassination ; if they ever made any further effort the 
writer never learned about it. They had been defeated in 
every attempt made either to slander or murder me. 

I want to say here that I shall ever hold sacred the 
memory of Mrs. McCowen, for I owe to her the peser- 
vation of my life, and may God's blessing ever follow her 
and rest upon her. 

The bushwhackers and the Ku-klux element were not 
yet satisfied and had but one way to vent their spleen 
against me. That was to get right down to hard lying. 
Having failed to prove a single one of their charges against 
me in the courts they were bent on injuring me and 
damaging my character. With no regard for the truth 
they would go around secretly and tell strangers who 
knew nothing about me that I was a murderer 
and a thief. The better element among those who had 
been Confederates declared openly that these statements 
were false from beginning to end. Many of them have said 
that I was an honest man, and that if any one wished to 
employ an honest lawyer Monks was the man to go to, 
for no one could buy him. 

Sometimes I would be informed that a late Confeder- 
ate would say: "I believe Col. Monks was a good man 
and an honest one. But I dislike him because he fought 
us so hard during the war." I would reply: "Tell him 
that I couldn't please them in any way at the com- 
mencement of the war; I didn't want to take up 
arms. I was an unconditional Union man, and they, 
the rebels, came to my home and arrested me, took 
me into their command and swore that I should fight; that 
they would make me fight and attempted to force me into 
the Confederate lines, and when I found that nothing 
else would do them but to fight, and I went to fighting, 
then they turn about and curse me for fighting." 



HISTORY OF SOUTHERN MISSOURI 244 

Again I would be informed that some of those per- 
sons, who had no regard for the truth, would secretly 
charge me with being a murderer. In reply I would in- 
form them that every part of the country where I had per- 
formed military service was now in the control of the 
Democratic party and there was no limitation to the crime 
of murder. 



AND NORTHKRN ARKANSAS 245 



Henry Dixon Green. 

Henry Dixon Green was borti in Henderson county 
Ky., in the year 1851. His father, H. D. Green, was a 
colonel in the Confederate army, and died while in the 
service. In 1876, the j^ounger Green left his native state, 
taking Horace Greeley's advice, and went west to grow 
up with the country. He located at West Plains, Mo., 
and soon began reading law in the oflfice of Hon. A. H.. 
Livingston. He was admitted to the bar, and formed a 
co-partnership with Mr. Livingston in the practice of law, 
which continued for several 3^ears. Afterwards he formed 
a partnership with Judge B. F. Olden. This firm was for 
years the local legal representative for the Kansas City, Fort 
Scott and Memphis Raihoad Company, now part of the 
Frisco System. Mr. Green acted as claim agent for this 
railroad, and afterwards had charge of the claim depart- 
ment of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company for the 
territor}^ of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Indian Ter- 
ritory, but resigned to resume the general practice of law 
at West Plains, Mo. He has served as Probate Judge of 
Howell county. 

Mr. Green was married in 1878 at West Plains to Miss 
Mary M. Monks, daughter of Col. Wm. Monks. Mrs. 
Green is a strong republican while Mr. Green is a strong 
supporter of the principles of the democratic party ; but 
their home life is perfectly peaceful and happy. Five 
children have brightened this home, a daughter, now 
Mrs. Arch Bugg, and four sons. Will H. D., Frank, Rus- 




RUSSELL GREEN AND DIXON GREEN. 



AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS 247 

sell and Dixon. The children all take their politics from 
their mother. The oldest son, Will, has been admitted to 
the Howell county bar and is now practicing law with his 
father. He is also Captain of Company K, the local mili- 
tary company of West Plains. The second and third sons 
are also members of the company. Frank works and 
studies at present in his father's law office, and the other 
boys are in school. 



HI06 



75 



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